Seizure Disorders

Code 8910: Grand mal epilepsy is a condition where the seizures affect the entire brain, causing loss of consciousness and severe jerking/twitching of the body. This is rated as major seizures.

Code 8911: Petit mal epilepsy is a condition where the seizures cause short periods of loss of mental control or disconnect from reality. This is rated as minor seizures.

Code 8912: Three different kinds of epilepsy are rated under this code. All of them only affect one part of the brain at a time. Focal motor epilepsy consists of seizures that cause muscles in only certain areas to jerk, depending on which part of the brain is affected. Jacksonian epilepsy is similar to focal motor epilepsy, but it travels from one part of the brain to another. Symptoms reflect this travel, starting at one point in the body and moving to others. Sensory epilepsy consists of seizures that cause hallucinations of the senses—sight, smell, taste, etc. Again, this will only affect one sense at a time depending on what part of the brain is affected. These are rated as minor seizures.

Code 8913: Diencephalic epilepsy (a.k.a. automatic epilepsy or vasomotor epilepsy) is a condition where the seizures affect numerous parts of the brain at the same time, but not the entire brain. During a seizure, repetitive movements will occur that may seem normal or purposeful, although they are done unconsciously. Along with the movements, the individual will experience extremely strong bursts of emotion like fear or anxiety. It is also common for them to experience hallucinations. This condition is rated as minor seizures unless there are also major seizures. In this case, rate the type of seizure that interferes the most will daily living.

Code 8914: Psychomotor epilepsy is a condition where the seizures cause the individual to act in abnormal ways, almost like they were drunk. They are separated from conscious control, often experiencing hallucinations and amnesia. During a seizure, the individual could commit acts that they might never do under conscious control like violence, crime, etc. Passing out and jerking the body rarely happens with psychomotor epilepsy, but if it does, then the condition can be rated as major seizures. If the seizures are brief episodes of hallucinations, bad judgment, uncontrolled twitching, extreme moods, or abnormal acts, then it is rated as minor seizures.

Code 8108: Narcolepsy is not an actual epileptic condition caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Instead, it is a sleep disorder where the individual experiences abnormal sleep patterns. Daytime symptoms can include severe drowsiness, sudden muscle weakness that can cause drooping of the limbs and head or falling, impaired vision and speech, and momentary paralysis. Although this is not technically an epileptic condition, it is rated as petit mal epilepsy (code 8911). The final code for this condition will be 8108-8911.