General paresis

This code represents general paresis, also known as paretic neurosyphilis or dementia paralytica. It is a chronic meningoencephalitis caused by late-stage Treponema pallidum infection, leading to progressive neurological and psychiatric deterioration. Manifestations include cognitive decline, personality changes, delusions, and neurological deficits.

Use this code for documented cases of general paresis, a tertiary manifestation of syphilis affecting the central nervous system. Documentation should clearly indicate a diagnosis of neurosyphilis with characteristic clinical features such as dementia, psychosis, or neurological signs attributable to the infection.

• Ensure documentation specifies "general paresis" or "paretic neurosyphilis" to differentiate from other forms of neurosyphilis.
• Always code the underlying infectious agent (syphilis) first, if not already implied by the specific neurosyphilis code.
• Consider additional codes for specific neurological or psychiatric manifestations if they are significant and not inherently captured by the general paresis diagnosis.