ICD-Code Q00.0: Anencephaly
A severe congenital defect in which the skull cap and the brain are partially or wholly absent
The brain is surrounded by a protective shell of bone, known as the skull or cranium.The upper, lateral and posterior part of the skull is called the calvaria or skullcap. The skullcap (calvaria) is made up of several bone plates. These bone plates are connected to one another by the cranial sutures.
While developing in the womb, many different types of tissue develop in the body. The organs and body parts develop out of the various types of tissue.If tissue fails to develop properly, defects can occur.
With this defect, the skull cap and the brain do not develop normally. The skull cap and the brain may be partially or wholly absent. The causes of this defect are not yet fully understood. Changes in genetic information may be a causal factor. In addition, a deficiency in certain vitamins or minerals during development in the womb can also lead to this type of defect. Such a severe defect is not usually not compatible with life.
Additional indicator
On medical documents, the ICD code is often appended by letters that indicate the diagnostic certainty or the affected side of the body.
- G: Confirmed diagnosis
- V: Tentative diagnosis
- Z: Condition after
- A: Excluded diagnosis
- L: Left
- R: Right
- B: Both sides
Note
This information is not intended for self-diagnosis and does not replace professional medical advice from a doctor. If you find an ICD code on a personal medical document, please also note the additional indicator used for diagnostic confidence.Your doctor will assist you with any health-related questions and explain the ICD diagnosis code to you in a direct consultation if necessary.
Source
The explanation of the ICD code was provided by the non-profit organization “Was hab’ ich?” gemeinnützige GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).