K55.042

Billable

Diffuse acute infarction of large intestine

HCC Category Mapping

V24HCC 107 — Vascular Disease with Complications

0.450

ESRDHCC 107 — Vascular Disease with Complications

0.000

What This Code Means

Widespread death of tissue throughout the large intestine due to blocked blood flow.

Coding Tips

•Use this code when infarction affects multiple areas or the entire colon, not just one segment.
•This represents more severe disease than focal infarction; ensure clinical documentation supports diffuse involvement.

Clinical Significance

Diffuse acute infarction of large intestine represents catastrophic colonic necrosis with extremely high mortality risk requiring emergency surgery. This condition indicates widespread vascular failure with established tissue death throughout multiple segments of colon.

Documentation Requirements

✓Acute onset severe abdominal symptoms
✓Imaging showing extensive colonic infarction
✓Documentation of diffuse/widespread involvement
✓Evidence of established tissue necrosis
✓Emergency surgical evaluation and findings
✓Vascular pathology and precipitating factors
✓ICU level care requirements documented

Commonly Confused Codes

K55.032 — Diffuse ischemia when tissue is still viable K55.041 — Focal infarction when involvement is segmental only K55.049 — Unspecified extent when diffuse pattern documented K92.2 — Lower GI bleeding without established infarction

Code Hierarchy

└K55Vascular disorders of intestine └K55.0Acute vascular disorders of intestine └K55.04Acute infarction of large intestine └K55.042Diffuse acute infarction of large intestine

└K55.042Diffuse acute infarction of large intestine