Monday, September 26, 2011

ICD-10 Codes: V97.33XS Sucked into jet engine, sequela

In an effort to expand the International Classification of Diseases [ICD] codes to be all-encompassing, the new ICD-10 list includes many new diseases and injuries. We have already reviewed code "V9027XA Drowning and submersion due to falling or jumping from burning water-skis, initial encounter" and found it difficult to imagine a scenario in which water-skis ignite.

Here is another code that at first seems to be a bit of a stretch, "V97.33XS Sucked into jet engine, sequela." One would think that the only sequela of someone being sucked into a jet engine would be hamburger. 

However, here is video evidence of one of the luckiest guys on earth. A Navy crewman was preparing an attack jet for take-off from an aircraft carrier when he was ingested by one of its jet engines. Miraculously, he survived with only a few scratches.

On the other hand, surviving having been sucked into a jet engine is a relatively rare event. Do we really need a code for this?

12 comments:

Michael said...

Would trauma NOS suffice? And in reality, is any doctor going to bother to look these up at point of care?

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Of course it would. Seems like a waste of time. That's why I'm featuring all these silly codes.

Who thought of these codes? It took 10 years for this revision to be written. Who paid for all of this? I think I can guess.

Ken & Carol said...

I am willing to bet there was a pool of sniggering English majors behind a lot of these scenarios. Everyone trying to outdo their cubicle buddy.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

@Ken & Carol

English majors or the editorial staff of the Onion

Anonymous said...

Is there a code for "Hit by coin falling from skyscraper, sequela"?

Skeptical Scalpel said...

@Ryan

Best I can do is "W201XXA Struck by object due to collapse of building, initial encounter"

caelisara said...

These are not new or specific to ICD-10 but can all be found as E codes (index to external causes) in ICD-9. Sucked into jet engine has always been my favorite.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

caelisara: Thanks for commenting. I had never been interested in ICD codes until this year. I've learned that a lot of the good ones have been around before ICD-10. There are so many absurd codes now that I felt the need to comment. I hope you saw the burning water skis and the dolphin blogs too.

Anonymous said...

Need a code (probably would need the initials wtf in it somewhere) for "mental trauma in frontline health workers due to anger at ongoing waste of healthcare dollars by administrators bureaucratic ridiculousness." I would then give myself the code as a tattoo.

Skeptical Scalpel said...

You may need it. Sooner or later the use of ICD-10 will be mandatory for everyone.

Anonymous said...

Note: ICD-10 codes have been used for reporting mortality (cause of death) as well, and for a lot longer time

Skeptical Scalpel said...

Reporting mortality is something most docs only rarely deal with. It seems that US medicine has survived the first few days of ICD-10. We will see how things go.

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