Dependence on renal dialysis

This code indicates a patient's ongoing reliance on renal dialysis due to end-stage renal disease or other irreversible kidney failure. It signifies that the patient's life is sustained through artificial kidney function provided by a dialysis machine.

Use this code for patients who are actively undergoing chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. It is appropriate for encounters where the patient's dialysis status is relevant to their care, such as during hospital admissions, outpatient visits for other conditions, or medication management.

• Always sequence this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the underlying end-stage renal disease (e.g., N18.6).
• Do not use this code for temporary or acute kidney injury requiring dialysis; it is specifically for chronic dependence.
• Be mindful of the Excludes1 and Excludes2 notes to avoid incorrect coding with related but distinct situations.