I85.10
BillableSecondary esophageal varices without bleeding
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 63 — End-Stage Liver Disease
0.307V24HCC 27 — End-Stage Liver Disease
0.910ESRDHCC 27 — End-Stage Liver Disease
0.000What This Code Means
Enlarged veins in the esophagus caused by conditions other than liver disease, without current bleeding.
Coding Tips
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
I85.10 — Same varices with bleeding; use only when active hemorrhage is documentedI85.10 — Secondary esophageal varices; use when varices result from an external cause rather than primary liver diseaseK22.8 — Other specified diseases of esophagus; non-variceal esophageal conditions should not be coded hereI86.4 — Gastric varices; varices in the stomach rather than esophagus require a different codeK92.0 — 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└I85.1Secondary esophageal varices└I85.10Secondary esophageal varices without bleeding
└I85.10Secondary esophageal varices without bleeding