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Foreign body in small intestine, sequela
ICD10CM code
Name of the Condition
- Foreign body in small intestine, sequela (ICD-10-CM Code: T18.3XXS)
Summary
- A foreign body in the small intestine refers to an object that has been ingested and becomes lodged within the small intestine. "Sequela" indicates that the condition is a result of a previous injury or medical issue linked to an earlier incident of a foreign body ingestion.
Causes
- Ingestion of non-food objects, whether accidental or intentional. This is more common among children, individuals with psychiatric disorders, or those with intellectual disabilities.
Risk Factors
- Age (young children tend to explore the environment by putting objects in their mouths), psychiatric disorders, intellectual disabilities, and prisoners are at higher risk of ingesting foreign bodies.
Symptoms
- Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, changes in bowel habits, and sometimes bleeding or signs of an infection.
Diagnosis
- Diagnosis may involve taking a detailed patient history and conducting imaging studies such as X-rays, CT scans, or sometimes an endoscopy to locate the foreign body and assess potential damage.
Treatment Options
- Treatment can include endoscopic retrieval, surgery to remove the object, or allowing it to pass naturally if it's small and not causing complications. Surgery may be necessary in cases of obstruction, perforation, or significant damage.
Prognosis and Follow-Up
- The outcome can be favorable if the foreign body is removed promptly and complications are managed. Regular follow-up might be required to ensure healing and to monitor for any delayed complications.
Complications
- Potential complications could include bowel obstruction, perforation, infection, bleeding, or formation of fistulas. Delayed treatment can lead to more severe issues such as sepsis.
Lifestyle & Prevention
- Preventive measures include keeping small objects out of reach of children, early treatment of psychiatric disorders, and educating at-risk individuals about the dangers of ingesting foreign objects.
When to Seek Professional Help
- Immediate medical attention is needed if there is severe abdominal pain, signs of an infection (fever, redness, and warmth in the abdomen), vomiting, or blood in stool.
Additional Resources
Tips for Medical Coders
- Ensure that the sequela is specified when coding (T18.3XXS) to indicate that the condition arises from a prior incident.
- Be mindful of the external cause codes that may also need to be reported to provide context about how the foreign body ended up in the small intestine.