Heart transplant infection

This code signifies an infection occurring in a patient who has undergone a heart transplant. It indicates that the transplanted organ itself, or the surrounding tissues, have become infected, potentially leading to complications and impacting graft function.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states an infection directly related to a heart transplant, such as endocarditis of the transplanted heart, mediastinitis post-transplant, or a specific infection of the cardiac allograft. This code is appropriate for both acute and chronic infections affecting the transplanted heart.

• Always sequence this code as a primary diagnosis when the infection is the reason for the encounter.
• Code the specific type of infection (e.g., bacterial, viral, fungal) and the causative organism, if known, as additional diagnoses.
• Ensure documentation specifies "heart transplant" and "infection" to support the use of this code.