2025 ICD-10-CM code I71.0
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Deletion Date: N/A Diseases of the circulatory system - Diseases of arteries, arterioles and capillaries Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99) Feed
Dissection of the aorta.
Modifiers may be used to indicate the type of procedure (e.g., surgical, interventional) or the location of the dissection.
Medical necessity is established by the presence of symptoms consistent with aortic dissection confirmed by appropriate imaging studies.Treatment is necessary to prevent life-threatening complications such as rupture, stroke, or myocardial infarction.
Cardiologists, vascular surgeons, and other specialists may be involved in the diagnosis and treatment of aortic dissection.The clinical responsibility includes diagnosis through imaging studies, assessment of severity and location of dissection, and implementation of appropriate treatment strategies, including medication, surgical or interventional procedures.
- Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99)
- I70-I79 (Diseases of arteries, arterioles and capillaries)
In simple words: A tear in the wall of the aorta, the body's largest artery. Blood leaks between the layers of the aorta wall. This can cause severe chest pain and other serious problems.
A progressive tear in the aorta's media layer, separating it from the outermost layer.This involves a separation of the layers of the aortic wall, allowing blood to flow between them. The aorta is the major artery carrying blood from the heart to the body.The dissection can occur at various locations along the aorta (ascending, descending, thoracic, abdominal).Symptoms can vary widely depending on the location and extent of the dissection and may include sudden, severe chest pain, shortness of breath, and unequal blood pressure in the arms.
Example 1: A 60-year-old male presents to the emergency room with sudden onset of severe tearing chest pain radiating to the back.Physical exam reveals unequal blood pressures in the arms.CT angiography confirms a type A aortic dissection., A 75-year-old female with a history of hypertension experiences sudden shortness of breath and back pain.Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) shows an acute type B aortic dissection., A 45-year-old male with Marfan syndrome undergoes routine echocardiography which reveals an asymptomatic aortic dissection.Surgical intervention is recommended to prevent potential complications.
Detailed medical history including risk factors (hypertension, family history of aortic dissection, connective tissue disorders), physical examination findings, imaging studies (CT angiography, TEE, MRI), and documentation of treatment and response to treatment.
** This code should only be used for acute aortic dissections. Chronic dissections or aneurysms should be coded differently (I71.1-I71.5). The specific location and extent of the dissection may require additional codes.
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Cardiology, Vascular Surgery, Thoracic Surgery
- Place of Service:Emergency Room - Hospital, Inpatient Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center