Air embolism, traumatic
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ICD10 Diagnosis | |
Dx: | Air embolism, traumatic |
ICD10 code: | T79.0 |
Pre-ICD10 counterpart: | Art/Ven Embolus/Thrombus, Pulmonary Embolus Air |
Charlson/ALERT Scale: | none |
APACHE Como Component: | none |
APACHE Acute Component: | none |
Start Date: | |
Stop Date: | |
External ICD10 Documentation |
This diagnosis is a part of ICD10 collection.
Additional Info
- An air embolism, also called a gas embolism, occurs when one or more air bubbles enter a vein or artery and block it. When an air bubble enters a vein, it’s called a venous air embolism. When an air bubble enters an artery, it’s called an arterial air embolism.
These air bubbles can travel to your brain, heart, or lungs and cause a heart attack, stroke, or respiratory failure.*
- Lung trauma - An air embolism can sometimes occur if there’s trauma to your lung. For example, if your lung is compromised after an accident, you might be put on a breathing ventilator. This ventilator could force air into a damaged vein or artery.
- Scuba diving - You can also get an air embolism while scuba diving. This is possible if you hold your breath for too long when you’re under water or if you surface from the water too quickly.
These actions can cause the air sacs in your lungs, called alveoli, to rupture. When the alveoli rupture, air may move to your arteries, resulting in an air embolism.
- Explosion and blast injuries - An injury that occurs because of a bomb or blast explosion can cause your veins or arteries to open. These injuries typically occur in combat situations. The force of the explosion can push air into injured veins or arteries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common fatal injury for people in combat who survive blast injuries is “blast lung.” Blast lung is when an explosion or blast damages your lung and air is forced into a vein or artery in the lung.
Alternate ICD10s to consider coding instead or in addition
Candidate Combined ICD10 codes
Traumas and their Mechanisms
- In ICD10, traumas need to be combined with separate mechanism codes to fully explain the situation.
- Here are lists of the codes for "mechanical" injuries to various body parts:
- some codes are always traumatic and always need a mechanism:
- Other codes may or may not be of a traumatic nature; these also qualify to be coded with trauma mechanisms listed below:
Potential trauma codes: |
- Here is a list of the external mechanism or agent that caused the trauma:
Regarding Multiple Trauma
- When a person has multiple body areas traumatized, code Multiple trauma
- When using Multiple trauma also code the individual things traumatized, e.g. leg, arm, head, etc.
- Code Multiple trauma and all the individual things traumatized as Combined ICD10 codes
- And in this case, assuming that they all have the same mechanism of injury (e.g. Mechanism of injury: motorcyclist), then you'd also code that Mechanism code as the same Combined ICD10 codes.
- If the multiple trauma is the primary admit diagnosis, then among this group of linked ICD10 codes, the Primary Admit Diagnosis would be either the Multiple trauma or the "worst" thing injured, e.g. Brain injury, diffuse (TBI), injury/trauma
Iatrogenic injuries
- Some iatrogenic codes are self-explanatory for what occurred. For example Iatrogenic, air embolism, as complication of line/infusion/transfusion/injection. But for others, such as Iatrogenic, puncture or laceration, related to a procedure or surgery NOS it's not clear what happened, i.e. what was iatrogenically injured.
- In these latter cases, with just one exception, DO NOT also code a trauma code for what was iatrogenically injured. This is because iatrogenic injuries are technically not considered to be traumas.
- that one exception is you should code Rib fracture(s) due to CPR in the context of CPR, cardiac resuscitation.
- Instead, combine the iatrogenic code with another ICD10 code indicating the body part involved.
- e.g. for iatrogenic laceration of a pulmonary artery, combine: Iatrogenic, puncture or laceration, related to a procedure or surgery NOS with Disorder of pulmonary vessels, NOS. See list of NOS codes in ICD10.
- In these latter cases, with just one exception, DO NOT also code a trauma code for what was iatrogenically injured. This is because iatrogenic injuries are technically not considered to be traumas.
Related CCI Codes
Data Integrity Checks (automatic list)
App | Status | |
---|---|---|
Query check ICD10 mechanism vs trauma | CCMDB.accdb | implemented |
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