Late congenital cardiovascular syphilis

This code signifies a congenital syphilis infection that manifests in cardiovascular complications, such as aortitis or coronary artery disease, appearing years or even decades after birth. These manifestations are a result of the Treponema pallidum infection acquired in utero.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of congenital syphilis with specific cardiovascular involvement that presents in later life. This diagnosis is typically supported by serological evidence of syphilis (e.g., positive VDRL, RPR, FTA-ABS) in conjunction with cardiovascular findings.

• Ensure documentation specifies "congenital" syphilis and clearly links it to cardiovascular pathology.
• Distinguish from acquired syphilis with cardiovascular involvement, which would be coded differently.
• Always sequence this code as the primary diagnosis if it is the reason for the encounter, or as a secondary diagnosis if it is a co-morbidity impacting treatment.