Presence of heart assist device

This code indicates the permanent or temporary presence of a mechanical circulatory support device designed to assist the heart's pumping function. These devices, such as ventricular assist devices (VADs), help maintain adequate blood flow in patients with severe heart failure. They can be implanted as a bridge to transplant, bridge to recovery, or as destination therapy.

Assign this code for patients who have an implanted heart assist device, regardless of the reason for its placement. This includes patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), right ventricular assist devices (RVADs), or biventricular assist devices (BiVADs). It should be used as a secondary diagnosis to provide crucial information about the patient's ongoing medical management.

• Always sequence this code after the primary diagnosis indicating the reason for the patient's encounter or the underlying heart condition necessitating the device.
• Do not use this code for temporary external circulatory support devices like ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) unless it is specifically documented as a heart assist device.
• Ensure documentation clearly specifies the presence of a heart assist device to support code assignment.