Diffuse acute infarction of small intestine

This code signifies a widespread, sudden loss of blood supply to the small intestine, leading to tissue death (infarction). It indicates that the entire small bowel, or a significant portion of it, has undergone acute ischemic injury.

Assign this code when documentation clearly states diffuse acute infarction of the small intestine, often due to mesenteric artery occlusion or low-flow states. Supporting documentation will typically include imaging reports (e.g., CT angiography showing widespread ischemia), surgical findings, or pathology reports confirming acute, diffuse necrosis of the small bowel.

• Differentiate from localized infarction (K55.01x) or chronic ischemic conditions.
• Ensure the documentation specifies "diffuse" to accurately assign this code.
• Code any underlying cause of the infarction, such as mesenteric artery embolism (I74.11) or thrombosis (I74.10), as a secondary diagnosis.