Leakage of surgically created arteriovenous shunt, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication involving the leakage of a surgically constructed arteriovenous (AV) shunt. This leakage is a persistent issue or a late effect of a previous leakage event, rather than an acute, active problem. Such shunts are typically created for hemodialysis access.

Use this code when documenting a patient presenting with a history of AV shunt leakage, and the current encounter addresses the sequelae or chronic effects of that prior leakage. This applies to situations where the leakage itself is no longer active but has left lasting consequences requiring ongoing management.

• Requires a seventh character "S" to indicate sequela, meaning the current encounter is for the late effects of the leakage.
• Do not use for active, acute leakage; instead, refer to codes for current complications of AV shunts.
• Always link to an external cause code if the original leakage was due to an external factor, though often the cause is internal to the shunt itself.