AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 2008 Issue 2; Ask the Editor
Domino Liver Transplant Secondary to Familial Amyloidosis Polyneuropathy (FAP)
The patient is a 61-year-old man who was diagnosed with familial amyloidosis polyneuropathy. Because of the gradual increase in the severity of his disease, he underwent liver transplantation. Since his liver function was good with no cirrhosis, the decision was made to transplant his explanted liver into another patient. The physician used the term “domino liver transplant†to reflect the chain of events occurring during transplantation. A new liver from a live nonrelated donor was transplanted and the patient’s old liver was removed for donation. Can code V59.6, Donors, liver, be reported to capture the fact that the patient was a recipient and also a donor? The physicians believe this information is important to describe the entire episode of patient care. ...
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Article Overview
This article examines a transplant coding question arising from a domino liver transplant case in a patient with familial amyloidosis polyneuropathy. It is intended for coding professionals and others who need to understand how the scenario is discussed in relation to reporting the episode of care and related diagnosis coding considerations. The discussion stays focused on the transplant context, the coding question raised, and the documentation perspective presented in the article.
Why This Topic Matters
Transplant cases can involve multiple roles and care events, so accurate coding interpretation matters for documentation, reporting, and claim integrity. This article helps readers identify whether the scenario is being addressed as a coding issue and whether the full episode of care is relevant to code assignment.
What You Will Learn
- How a domino liver transplant scenario is framed for coding discussion.
- Why familial amyloidosis polyneuropathy and transplant context are relevant to the article.
- What coding question the article raises about reflecting the patient’s role in the transplant episode.
- The type of documentation concern associated with donor and recipient status.
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Health information management professionals
- Transplant program staff
- Clinical documentation specialists
Codes Discussed
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