Hemopericardium

This code represents the presence of blood within the pericardial sac, the double-layered membrane surrounding the heart. This accumulation of blood can compress the heart, impairing its ability to pump effectively, a condition known as cardiac tamponade.

Use this code when documentation explicitly states hemopericardium, indicating blood in the pericardial space. This often occurs due to trauma, myocardial rupture, aortic dissection, or iatrogenic causes following cardiac procedures.

• Differentiate from pericardial effusion (fluid, not specifically blood) unless the effusion is explicitly hemorrhagic.
• Always look for an underlying cause, such as trauma (e.g., 860.x for traumatic hemopericardium) or myocardial infarction (e.g., 410.x for MI with complication).
• Consider sequencing this code after the primary condition or injury that led to the hemopericardium.