Chronic ethmoidal sinusitis

This code represents a persistent, long-standing inflammation of the ethmoid sinuses. It is characterized by chronic symptoms such as nasal congestion, facial pressure, and postnasal drip, lasting for 12 weeks or more. The condition involves the mucosal lining of the ethmoid air cells.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of chronic inflammation specifically affecting the ethmoid sinuses. Supporting documentation should include a history of symptoms exceeding 12 weeks, findings from physical examination (e.g., purulent discharge, mucosal edema), and potentially imaging studies (e.g., CT scan) confirming ethmoid sinus involvement.

• Differentiate from acute ethmoidal sinusitis (473.0) based on symptom duration.
• Ensure documentation specifies "ethmoidal" to avoid coding to unspecified chronic sinusitis (473.9).
• Consider coding any associated complications, such as nasal polyps (471.x), if present and documented.