D56.0: Alpha thalassaemia
You have a congenital illness which means your body does not produce red hemoglobin correctly.
Blood is made up of a liquid part and different blood cells, among other things. The blood cells include the red blood cells, the white blood cells and the platelets. The red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. Red blood cells contain the red hemoglobin that gives blood its color. This pigment is important for carrying oxygen in the blood.
If red hemoglobin is not produced correctly, you can have too little red hemoglobin. The disorder is hereditary. Other family members may also be affected.
If you have don’t have enough haemoglobin, then the body can no longer transport as much oxygen. This can mean you’re exhausted more quickly or you have difficulty breathing. The red blood cells are normally formed in the bone marrow. If you have very little red hemoglobin, the liver or spleen can also produce red blood cells. These organs may then become enlarged.
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
Further information
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
Provided by the non-profit organization “Was hab’ ich?” gemeinnützige GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).
