K72Hepatic failure, not elsewhere classified

K72 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for hepatic failure, not elsewhere classified. It belongs to block K70-K77 (diseases of liver) and chapter 11 (diseases of the digestive system). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 3 subcodes must be used instead.

To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: K72.0 (failure), K72.1 (failure) and K72.9 (unspecified).

Don't report K72 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: alcoholic hepatic failure (K70.4), hepatic failure with toxic liver disease (K71.1-), icterus of newborn (P55-P59) and postprocedural hepatic failure (K91.82).

The conditions in its Excludes2 note aren't part of K72, but may be coded alongside it if the patient has both: hepatic failure complicating abortion or ectopic or molar pregnancy (O00-O07, O08.8), hepatic failure complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O26.6-) and viral hepatitis with hepatic coma (B15-B19).

Use an additional code, if applicable, for ascites (R18.8).

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.