Unilateral femoral hernia, with gangrene, recurrent

This code signifies a femoral hernia occurring on one side of the body that has recurred after previous repair and is complicated by gangrene. Gangrene indicates tissue death due to a lack of blood supply, representing a severe and urgent complication of the hernia.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a patient presents with a recurrent, unilateral femoral hernia and the surgeon notes the presence of gangrenous tissue within the hernia sac or its contents. This typically requires surgical intervention for repair and debridement of necrotic tissue.

• Ensure documentation specifies "recurrent" and "unilateral" to differentiate from initial or bilateral presentations.
• Confirm the presence of gangrene; do not use for incarcerated or strangulated hernias without explicit mention of gangrene.
• Code any associated complications or underlying causes of the gangrene, if documented, in addition to the hernia code.