Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J95.81

Postprocedural pneumothorax and air leak

ICD-10-CM Code:
J95.81
ICD-10 Code for:
Postprocedural pneumothorax and air leak
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the respiratory system
    (J00–J99)
    • Intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of respiratory system, not elsewhere classified
      (J95)
      • Intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of respiratory system, not elsewhere classified
        (J95)

J95.81 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of postprocedural pneumothorax and air leak. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Postprocedural pneumothorax and air leak

Non-specific codes like J95.81 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for postprocedural pneumothorax and air leak:

  • Use J95.811 for Postprocedural pneumothorax - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use J95.812 for Postprocedural air leak - BILLABLE CODE

Patient Education


Pleural Disorders

Your pleura is a large, thin sheet of tissue that wraps around the outside of your lungs and lines the inside of your chest cavity. Between the layers of the pleura is a very thin space. Normally it's filled with a small amount of fluid. The fluid helps the two layers of the pleura glide smoothly past each other as your lungs breathe air in and out.

Disorders of the pleura include:

  • Pleurisy - inflammation of the pleura that causes sharp pain with breathing
  • Pleural effusion - excess fluid in the pleural space
  • Pneumothorax - buildup of air or gas in the pleural space
  • Hemothorax - buildup of blood in the pleural space

Many different conditions can cause pleural problems. Viral infection is the most common cause of pleurisy. The most common cause of pleural effusion is congestive heart failure. Lung diseases, like COPD, tuberculosis, and acute lung injury, cause pneumothorax. Injury to the chest is the most common cause of hemothorax. Treatment focuses on removing fluid, air, or blood from the pleural space, relieving symptoms, and treating the underlying condition.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.