K81

Cholecystitis

FY2027Chapter 11: Diseases of the digestive system/K80–K87 Disorders of gallbladder, biliary tract and pancreas

Non-billable headerNot valid on its own. Use one of the more specific codes under it.

K81 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code category for cholecystitis. Report a more specific code from it instead. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. The more specific codes under it are K81.0 Acute cholecystitis; K81.1 Chronic cholecystitis; K81.2 Acute cholecystitis with chronic cholecystitis and K81.9 Cholecystitis, unspecified. Its coding notes include a Use additional code instruction, 1 Excludes1 entry and 8 Excludes2 entries.

Use additional code

Add the listed code as a secondary code, if known.

This code
  • code if applicable for associated gangrene of gallbladder (K82.A1), or perforation of gallbladder (K82.A2)

Excludes1

Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.

This code
  • cholecystitis with cholelithiasis (K80.-)

Excludes2

Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.

Also from chapter/block level (8 notes)
Inherited from Chapter 11 Diseases of the digestive system
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

More specific codes under K81 4