I85.00

Billable

Esophageal varices without bleeding

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 63 — End-Stage Liver Disease

0.307

V24HCC 27 — End-Stage Liver Disease

0.910

ESRDHCC 27 — End-Stage Liver Disease

0.000

What This Code Means

Enlarged veins in the esophagus (food pipe) that are not currently bleeding, usually caused by liver disease.

Coding Tips

•If bleeding is documented, use I85.01 instead; verify bleeding status carefully in clinical documentation
•Assign an additional code for the underlying cause (typically portal hypertension or cirrhosis) to provide complete clinical picture

Clinical Significance

Primary esophageal varices without bleeding indicate portal hypertension, most commonly from advanced liver disease such as cirrhosis. Even without active bleeding, esophageal varices indicate significant portal hypertension and carry a substantial risk of future hemorrhage, necessitating surveillance endoscopy and prophylactic treatment. This diagnosis is a critical marker of disease severity that substantially impacts the patient's risk profile and expected healthcare utilization.

Documentation Requirements

✓Documentation of presence of esophageal varices
✓Endoscopy report or imaging confirming variceal diagnosis
✓Primary etiology documented (e.g., cirrhosis, portal hypertension, hepatic fibrosis)
✓Variceal grading (small, medium, large) when available
✓Current management plan (beta-blocker prophylaxis, band ligation schedule, or acute intervention)

Commonly Confused Codes

I85.01 — Same varices with bleeding; use only when active hemorrhage is documented I85.10 — Secondary esophageal varices; use when varices result from an external cause rather than primary liver disease K22.8 — Other specified diseases of esophagus; non-variceal esophageal conditions should not be coded here I86.4 — Gastric varices; varices in the stomach rather than esophagus require a different code K92.0 — Hematemesis not otherwise specified; if the source of upper gastrointestinal bleeding is not confirmed as variceal, a more general code may apply

Code Hierarchy

└I85Esophageal varices └I85.0Esophageal varices └I85.00Esophageal varices without bleeding

└I85.00Esophageal varices without bleeding