Presence of prosthetic heart valve

This code indicates that a patient has an artificial heart valve in place. This could be a mechanical or biological prosthesis, implanted to replace a diseased or damaged native heart valve. The presence of this device is a significant part of the patient's medical history and can impact future care.

Apply this code when documenting a patient's current status as having a prosthetic heart valve, regardless of the reason for its implantation or any current complications. It is often used as a secondary diagnosis to provide a complete picture of the patient's medical profile, especially in cases of follow-up care or when the prosthetic valve is relevant to the current encounter.

• Always assign this code when the documentation clearly states the patient has a prosthetic heart valve.
• Do not use this code for a patient who has undergone a valve repair without replacement (e.g., annuloplasty ring).
• Consider sequencing this code after a primary diagnosis if the prosthetic valve is not the main reason for the encounter but is clinically relevant.