What is the maximum number of brackets used to identify manifestation codes in ICD-10?

In ICD-10, manifestation codes are used to identify conditions that arise as a consequence of another condition. The use of brackets is specifically designed to group codes and provide clarity on relationships between different medical diagnoses.

When looking at manifestation codes, the coding guideline states there can only be a maximum of one set of brackets used around the manifestation code. This simplifies the interpretation of the code and keeps the relationships clear; thus, only a single layer of manifestation is permitted to be clearly indicated, ensuring that coding professionals focus on the primary disease and its direct manifestations accurately.

This is crucial in clinical coding practices since it ensures compliance with coding standards and helps in billing processes and patient records management. Hence, the correct understanding is that only one bracket is required to denote a manifestation code in the ICD-10 system.