2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A48.0

Gas gangrene

ICD-10-CM Code:
A48.0
ICD-10 Code for:
Gas gangrene
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Certain infectious and parasitic diseases
    (A00–B99)
    • Other bacterial diseases
      (A30-A49)
      • Other bacterial diseases, not elsewhere classified
        (A48)

A48.0 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of gas gangrene. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Anaerobic cellulitis
  • Anaerobic myonecrosis
  • Gas gangrene
  • Gas gangrene caused by Clostridium edematiens
  • Gas gangrene caused by clostridium histolyticum
  • Gas gangrene caused by clostridium perfringens
  • Gas gangrene caused by clostridium septicum
  • Gas gangrene caused by Paeniclostridium sordellii
  • Gas gangrene of back
  • Gas gangrene of foot
  • Gas gangrene of forearm
  • Gas gangrene of hand
  • Gas gangrene of limb
  • Gas gangrene of lower leg
  • Gas gangrene of lower limb
  • Gas gangrene of neck
  • Gas gangrene of pelvic region of trunk
  • Gas gangrene of shoulder region
  • Gas gangrene of skin
  • Gas gangrene of thigh
  • Gas gangrene of upper arm
  • Gas gangrene of upper limb
  • Infection caused by Clostridium botulinum
  • Infection due to Clostridium novyi
  • Infection due to Clostridium perfringens
  • Intestinal gas gangrene
  • Uterine gas gangrene

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Gas Gangrene

    a severe condition resulting from bacteria invading healthy muscle from adjacent traumatized muscle or soft tissue. the infection originates in a wound contaminated with bacteria of the genus clostridium. c. perfringens accounts for the majority of cases (over eighty percent), while c. noyvi, c. septicum, and c. histolyticum cause most of the other cases.
  • Clostridium

    a genus of motile or nonmotile gram-positive bacteria of the family clostridiaceae. many species have been identified with some being pathogenic. they occur in water, soil, and in the intestinal tract of humans and lower animals.

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Inclusion Terms

Inclusion Terms
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
  • Clostridial cellulitis
  • Clostridial myonecrosis

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert A48.0 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 040.0 - Gas gangrene

Patient Education


Gangrene

Gangrene is the death of tissues in your body. It happens when a part of your body loses its blood supply. Gangrene can happen on the surface of the body, such as on the skin, or inside the body, in muscles or organs. Causes include:

  • Serious injuries
  • Problems with blood circulation, such as atherosclerosis and peripheral arterial disease
  • Diabetes

Skin symptoms may include a blue or black color, pain, numbness, and sores that produce a foul-smelling discharge. If the gangrene is internal, you may run a fever and feel unwell, and the area may be swollen and painful.

Gangrene is a serious condition. It needs immediate attention. Treatment includes surgery, antibiotics, and oxygen therapy. In severe cases an amputation may be necessary.


[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.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.