In simple words: Cold injury syndrome is a serious condition in newborns involving dangerously low body temperature.Babies with this condition might have pink, swollen skin, and problems with their nervous system and body chemistry.

Cold injury syndrome (P80.0) in newborns is characterized by severe and usually chronic hypothermia.This condition is associated with a distinctive pink flushed appearance of the skin, edema, and neurological and biochemical abnormalities. It is differentiated from mild hypothermia of the newborn (P80.8).

Example 1: A premature infant born at 28 weeks gestation develops cold injury syndrome after being accidentally exposed to a cold environment in the neonatal intensive care unit. The infant presents with cold, pink flushed skin, edema, and decreased neurological responsiveness. The physician documents the condition as P80.0., A full-term newborn is found to be hypothermic shortly after birth, demonstrating cold, pink skin, edema of the lower extremities, and abnormal blood glucose levels. After a thorough examination, the physician establishes a diagnosis of cold injury syndrome (P80.0) and initiates rewarming measures., A newborn baby experiencing respiratory distress syndrome also shows signs consistent with P80.0 – cold injury syndrome. Treatment for both conditions is required, indicating the importance of accurate coding for each unique diagnosis to ensure appropriate reimbursement.

Detailed documentation should include:

** Accurate coding of P80.0 requires detailed clinical documentation to differentiate it from other forms of neonatal hypothermia.The severity and duration of the hypothermia must be clearly documented to justify the use of this code.