ICD-10 Code K71.51 – Toxic liver disease with chronic active hepatitis with ascites (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K71.51 – Toxic liver disease with chronic active hepatitis with ascites
What it is
K71.51 identifies toxic liver disease with chronic active hepatitis and ascites. Use it when a documented toxic or drug-related liver injury is accompanied by ongoing hepatitis and fluid accumulation in the abdomen.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Commonly, the record shows chronic active hepatitis plus ascites, with evidence that liver injury is attributed to a toxin or medication.
When to use this code
Use K71.51 when the provider clearly links liver disease to a toxic exposure and documents chronic active hepatitis with ascites. This code fits cases where ascites is part of the same toxic liver disease process, not a separate unrelated condition.
Check documentation if the cause is unclear or if hepatitis is acute, inactive, or unspecified. Code the condition only when the chart supports both the toxic etiology and the chronic active hepatitis with ascites.
Do not use for
Do not use this code for ascites from non-toxic causes or for hepatitis without documented toxic liver disease. If chronic active hepatitis or ascites is not confirmed, check documentation.
Coding tip
Confirm that the provider documents both the toxic cause and ascites in the same diagnosis statement before assigning K71.51.