Major Puerperal Infection

A 30-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with severe sepsis and acute renal failure. She had delivered a healthy baby via C-section two weeks prior to the current admission. The documentation reflected that the severe sepsis with acute renal failure was due to a Methicillin resistant Staph aureus (MRSA) sepsis from the C-section wound. How should this case be coded? ...

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Note:  The following article synopsis was NOT provided by the AHA. It was created by Find-A-Code/innoviHealth.

Article Overview

This article covers an ICD-9-CM revision effective October 1, 2009 that expanded major puerperal infection into more specific subcategories. It also provides background on puerperal infections after childbirth, the types of postpartum infection-related conditions included in the classification, and an obstetric case example involving postpartum complications and sepsis. The article is relevant to coders, billers, auditors, and clinical documentation staff working with obstetric inpatient coding and ICD-9-CM diagnosis reporting.

Why This Topic Matters

Postpartum infections can affect diagnosis coding, complication reporting, and how obstetric conditions are grouped in the medical record. Understanding the updated classification helps ensure the documented condition is matched to the appropriate ICD-9-CM category structure.

Article Sections

  1. ICD-9-CM Revision Effective October 1, 2009

    Introduces the update to the major puerperal infection category and the broader postpartum classification changes referenced in the article.

  2. Clinical Background on Puerperal Infection

    Summarizes general background information about postpartum infection, associated risk factors, and common infection sites discussed in the article.

  3. Updated Category Structure and Subcategories

    Outlines the revised major puerperal infection category and the newly distinguished subcategories presented in the article.

  4. Obstetric Case Example

    Presents a postpartum inpatient scenario used to illustrate coding considerations for an obstetric complication involving infection and sepsis.

What You Will Learn

  • How the major puerperal infection category was revised in ICD-9-CM
  • What broad postpartum infection topics are associated with the updated classification
  • What kinds of obstetric complications are discussed in the case example
  • Which coding areas are affected by postpartum infection documentation

Who Should Read This

  • Medical coders
  • Coding auditors
  • Hospital billing staff
  • Obstetric documentation specialists
  • Compliance staff

Codes Discussed

Code Ranges Discussed

  • ICD-9-CM: [0,2,4]

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