Urinary tract infections affect millions of people, it is one of the most common types of infections today. A UTI is a bacterial infection of any part of the urinary tract. It is important to know that the urinary tract is made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
Factors such as, pregnancy, diabetes, urinary obstructions, foreign bodies, presence of a urinary catheter, and congenital abnormalities can put a person at a higher risk for developing a UTI.
When coding a UTI it is important to know what part of the urinary tract is affected by the UTI. The location will determine what code you will assign. If the infection is affecting the:
Bladder (cystitis)- see Category 595
Kidney (pyelonephritis)- see Category 590
Unknown site (UTI NOS)- 599.0
Always remember to add a code for the organism causing the infection, if known.
UTI due to Urinary Catheter
If the cause of the UTI is due to a urinary catheter, assign code 996.64 followed by the appropriate UTI code.
Post-operative UTI
If the physician states the patients postoperative UTI is linked to a procedure, two codes are required; 997.5, Complications affecting specified body systems, urinary complications, and the appropriate UTI code. If the causative organism is identified it is also coded.
ICD 10 codes:
Personal History of UTI: Z87.440
Urinary Tract Infection unspecified: N39.0
