Table 1.

ICD-9-CM Diagnosis and Procedure Codes used for Acute Respiratory Distress Case Definition¹

Diagnosis Codes
518.5
Pulmonary insufficiency following trauma and surgery Acute respiratory distress syndrome Pulmonary insufficiency following: ○ Shock ○ Surgery ○ Trauma Shock lung Excludes ○ Acute respiratory distress syndrome associated with other conditions ○ Pneumonia ▪ Aspiration ▪ Hypostatic ○ Respiratory failure in other conditions
518.82
Other pulmonary insufficiency, NEC Acute respiratory distress Acute respiratory insufficiency Adult respiratory distress syndrome, NEC Excludes ○ Adult respiratory distress syndrome following trauma and surgery ○ Pulmonary insufficiency following trauma and surgery ○ Respiratory Distress ▪ NOS ▪ Newborn ▪ Syndrome, newborn ○ Shock lung
Procedure Codes:
96.70
Continuous mechanical ventilation of unspecified duration
96.71
Continuous mechanical ventilation for < 96 h consecutively2
96.72
Continuous mechanical ventilation for ≥ 96 h consecutively

ARDS = Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome; ICD-9-CM = International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification; NOS = not otherwise specified; NEC = not elsewhere classified

¹The ICD-9-CM is based upon the World Health Organization’s ninth revision of the International Classification of Diseases. (8)