Find comprehensive information on liver failure diagnosis, including ICD-10 codes K72.9 and K71.7, clinical documentation best practices, diagnostic criteria, and stages of liver disease. Learn about hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, varices, and other related conditions. This resource supports healthcare professionals with accurate medical coding, optimized clinical documentation improvement, and efficient patient care for liver failure. Explore liver function tests (LFTs), MELD score interpretation, and management strategies.
Also known as
Liver failure, unspecified
Liver is unable to perform its normal functions.
Acute and subacute liver failure
Sudden or rapid decline in liver function.
Acute liver failure
Sudden and severe loss of liver function.
Alcoholic cirrhosis of liver
End-stage liver disease due to chronic alcohol abuse.
Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.
Is the liver failure acute?
Yes
Is it due to drug/toxin?
No
Is it chronic?
When to use each related code
Description |
---|
Liver Failure |
Hepatic Encephalopathy |
Ascites |
Coding liver failure without specifying the cause (e.g., alcohol, hepatitis) leads to inaccurate severity and reimbursement.
Miscoding acute-on-chronic or chronic liver failure impacts quality metrics and DRG assignment. CDI clarification is crucial.
Insufficient documentation of associated conditions like hepatic encephalopathy or ascites impacts risk adjustment and coding accuracy.
Patient presents with symptoms consistent with liver failure (hepatic failure, end-stage liver disease, ESLD). Presenting complaints include jaundice, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and fatigue. Physical examination reveals scleral icterus, abdominal distension with shifting dullness suggestive of ascites, and asterixis. Patient reports a history of [Insert underlying cause e.g., cirrhosis, hepatitis C, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), autoimmune hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury, etc.]. Laboratory findings demonstrate elevated liver enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP), bilirubin (direct and indirect), prolonged prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR), decreased albumin, and elevated ammonia levels. Diagnostic imaging, including abdominal ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI, may be indicated to assess liver morphology and rule out other contributing factors. Diagnosis of liver failure is based on clinical presentation, laboratory data, and imaging findings. Treatment plan includes management of complications such as hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, and variceal bleeding. Nutritional support, including a low-sodium diet and vitamin supplementation, is indicated. Pharmacological interventions may include lactulose for hepatic encephalopathy and diuretics for ascites. Referral for liver transplantation evaluation will be considered based on disease severity and eligibility criteria. Patient education regarding disease progression, prognosis, and treatment options was provided. Follow-up appointments are scheduled for monitoring of liver function and management of complications. ICD-10 code K72.9 (Liver failure, unspecified) and relevant procedure codes will be documented for medical billing and coding purposes.