A15.6 - Tuberculous pleurisy

Version 2023
Billable Code
MS-DRG Mapping
Convert to ICD-9
ICD-10:A15.6
Short Description:Tuberculous pleurisy
Long Description:Tuberculous pleurisy
Status: Valid for Submission
Version:ICD-10-CM 2023
Code Classification:
  • Certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00–B99)
    • Tuberculosis (A15-A19)
      • Respiratory tuberculosis (A15)

A15.6 is a billable ICD-10 code used to specify a medical diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. The code is valid during the fiscal year 2023 from October 01, 2022 through September 30, 2023 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions.

Approximate Synonyms

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

Clinical Information

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

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


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.

Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

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

Convert to ICD-9 Code

Source ICD-10 CodeTarget ICD-9 Code
A15.6012.00 - TB pleurisy-unspec
Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original 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:

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


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Tuberculosis

What is tuberculosis (TB)?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial disease that usually attacks the lungs. But it can also attack other parts of the body, including the kidneys, spine, and brain.

Not everyone infected with TB bacteria (germs) becomes sick. So, there are two types of TB conditions:

TB is found in the U.S., but it is more common in certain other countries.

What causes tuberculosis (TB)?

TB is caused by bacteria (germs) called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The germs spread from person to person through the air. People who have TB disease in their throat or lungs spread the germs in the air when they cough, sneeze, talk, or sing. If you breathe in the air that has the germs, you can get TB. TB is not spread by touching, kissing, or sharing food or dishes.

You're more likely to catch TB from people you live or work with than from people you see for shorter amounts of time.

Who is more likely to get infected with tuberculosis (TB) germs?

Anyone who is near a person with TB disease can get infected with the germs. You are more likely to be near someone with TB disease if you:

Who is more likely to develop TB disease?

Certain people are more likely to get sick with TB disease after they get infected. They include people who:

What are the symptoms of tuberculosis (TB)?

Most people who have TB germs in their bodies don't get sick with TB disease. Instead, they have latent TB infection. With a latent TB infection, you:

If you have TB disease, the TB germs are active, meaning that they are growing (multiplying) inside your body and making you sick. If the TB is growing in your lungs or throat, you can spread the TB germs to other people. You can get sick with TB disease weeks to years after you're infected with TB germs.

With TB disease, your symptoms will depend on where the TB is growing in your body

How is tuberculosis (TB) diagnosed?

Your health care provider or your local health department can test you to find out if you have TB germs in your body. They will give you either a TB skin or blood test.

If your test shows that you have TB germs, you'll need to have other tests to see if the germs are actively growing:

You may need a TB test if you have symptoms of TB disease or if you are at high risk because you are more likely to be near someone with TB disease.

What is the treatment for tuberculosis (TB)?

The treatment for both latent TB infection and TB disease is antibiotics. To make sure you get rid of all the TB germs in your body, it's very important to follow the directions for taking your medicine.

If you don't follow the directions, the TB germs in your body could change and become antibiotic resistant. That means the medicine may stop working and your TB may become hard to cure.

By following medical advice for TB testing and treatment, you can keep yourself healthy and help stop the spread of TB.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


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Code History

Previous Code: A15.5

Parent Code: A15

Next Code: A15.7