EmailStridulous croup versus croup with stridor
Publication Date: December 2009
ICD 10 AM Edition: Sixth edition
Retired Date: 30/6/2015
Query Number: 2482
What should be coded for croup with stridor? A clinician advised me that: 'Stridulous croup should not be confused with 'croup with stridor'. They are different clinically (all croup has stridor; stridulous croup is severe croup and would be treated with Adrenalin)'.
Do I need to have 'stridulous croup' documented to code J38.5 Laryngeal spasm (instead of the default code at Croup of J05.0 Acute obstructive laryngitis [croup])?
Search Details:
NCCH Q2186
Query: (summarised) The index for acute spasmodic croup leads to J05.0 'Acute obstructive laryngitis [croup]' (Croup, spasmodic, acute).
However, it is noted that code assignment for acute stridulous croup is not influenced by the descriptor 'acute' as there is no sub index for acute within ICD-10-AM. Therefore, code assignment for acute stridulous croup leads to J38.5 'Laryngeal spasm' (Croup, stridulous).
As the terms 'acute spasmodic' and 'acute stridulous' croup appear synonymous, please confirm that there does not need to be a sub index for acute stridulous croup.
Answer: Initial response 14/6/2006: The NCCH agrees that acute stridulous croup should be coded to J05.0 'Acute obstructive laryngitis'. The indexing will be amended in a future edition of ICD-10-AM.
Subsequent response 8/8/06: After further review the NCCH has referred this issue to the WHO Update Reference Committee for advice, due to the inconsistency in the indexing of croup in the ICD-10-AM disease index. In the interim maintain current coding practice following the index.
Do I need to have 'stridulous croup' documented to code J38.5 Laryngeal spasm (instead of the default code at Croup of J05.0 Acute obstructive laryngitis [croup])?
Search Details:
NCCH Q2186
Query: (summarised) The index for acute spasmodic croup leads to J05.0 'Acute obstructive laryngitis [croup]' (Croup, spasmodic, acute).
However, it is noted that code assignment for acute stridulous croup is not influenced by the descriptor 'acute' as there is no sub index for acute within ICD-10-AM. Therefore, code assignment for acute stridulous croup leads to J38.5 'Laryngeal spasm' (Croup, stridulous).
As the terms 'acute spasmodic' and 'acute stridulous' croup appear synonymous, please confirm that there does not need to be a sub index for acute stridulous croup.
Answer: Initial response 14/6/2006: The NCCH agrees that acute stridulous croup should be coded to J05.0 'Acute obstructive laryngitis'. The indexing will be amended in a future edition of ICD-10-AM.
Subsequent response 8/8/06: After further review the NCCH has referred this issue to the WHO Update Reference Committee for advice, due to the inconsistency in the indexing of croup in the ICD-10-AM disease index. In the interim maintain current coding practice following the index.
Response
VICC research also indicates that 'croup with stridor' is not the same as 'stridulous croup' and therefore advises to follow the index and the clinical advice you have received. For documentation of 'croup with stridor' the correct code to assign is J05.0 Acute obstructive laryngitis [croup], which is the default code for Croup in the index.
