2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code J38.3Other diseases of vocal cords

ICD-10-CM Codes›J00–J99›J30-J39›J38

ICD-10-CM J38.3
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

J38.3 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other diseases of vocal cords. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 154 through 156. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified and unspecified upper respiratory disease.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
J38.3
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Other diseases of vocal cords
Short Description
Other diseases of vocal cords
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
J38
Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified

Code Classification

ChapterJ00–J99Diseases of the respiratory system
SectionJ30-J39Other diseases of upper respiratory tract
CategoryJ38Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified
This CodeJ38.3Other diseases of vocal cords

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Abductor spastic dysphonia
  • Abscess of larynx
  • Abscess of vocal cords
  • Adductor spastic dysphonia
  • Adductor spastic dysphonia of conversion reaction
  • Adductor spastic dysphonia of dystonia
  • Adductor spastic dysphonia of musculoskeletal tension reaction
  • Adductor spastic dysphonia of organic voice tremor
  • Atrophy of vocal cord
  • Bleeding from larynx
  • Bowing of vocal cord
  • Bowing of vocal cord on phonation
  • Cellulitis of larynx
  • Cellulitis of neck
  • Cellulitis of vocal cords
  • Chorditis
  • Cyst of larynx
  • Disorder of vocal cord
  • Dissociative neurological symptom disorder co-occurrent with dystonia
  • Dissociative neurological symptom disorder co-occurrent with symptom of speech production
  • Dissociative neurological symptom disorder with dysphonia
  • Dysphonia of organic tremor
  • Dysplasia of vocal cord
  • Edema of vocal cord
  • Epidermoid cyst of vocal cord
  • Finding of function of vocal cords
  • Flaccid dysphonia
  • Granuloma of vocal cords
  • Hematoma of neck
  • Hyperemia of vocal cord
  • Idiopathic adductor spastic dysphonia
  • Impaired abduction of vocal cord on respiration
  • Impaired adduction of vocal cord on phonation
  • Increased thickness
  • Laryngeal granuloma
  • Lesion of vocal cord
  • Leukoplakia of vocal cords
  • Mass of vocal cord
  • Mixed flaccid-spastic pseudobulbar dysphonia
  • Mucosal bridge of vocal cord
  • Mucous cyst of vocal cord
  • Neurologic adductor spastic dysphonia
  • Paradoxical movement of vocal cord on respiration
  • Position of vocal cord at rest - finding
  • Position of vocal cords on respiration - finding
  • Postmenopausal atrophy of vocal cord
  • Pseudocystic change of vocal cord
  • Respiratory tract congestion
  • Scarred plaque of vocal fold cover
  • Spastic dysphonia
  • Spastic pseudobulbar dysphonia
  • Submucosal hemorrhage of vocal cord
  • Sulcus vocalis of vocal cord
  • Telangiectasis of vocal fold
  • Thickening of vocal cords
  • Ulcer of larynx
  • Vocal cord abducted at rest
  • Vocal cord adducted at rest
  • Vocal cord cyst
  • Vocal cord does not adduct on coughing
  • Vocal cord does not adduct on phonation
  • Vocal cord hematoma
  • Vocal cord hemorrhage
  • Vocal cord irregular
  • Vocal cord obliterated
  • Vocal cord prolapse
  • Vocal cord strain
  • Vocal cord ulcer
  • Vocal cords erythematous
  • Vocal cords thickened
  • Vocal fold overadduction
  • Vocal fold underadduction

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Abscess of vocal cords
  • Cellulitis of vocal cords
  • Granuloma of vocal cords
  • Leukokeratosis of vocal cords
  • Leukoplakia of vocal cords

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Abscess(connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic)
      • vocal cord
    • Cellulitis(diffuse) (phlegmonous) (septic) (suppurative)
      • vocal cord
    • Cicatrix(adherent) (contracted) (painful) (vicious)
      • vocal cord
    • Disease, diseased
      • vocal cord
    • Dysphonia
      • spastica
    • Fixation
      • vocal cord
    • Granuloma
      • vocal cord
    • Hyperkeratosis
      • vocal cord
    • Hypertrophy, hypertrophic
      • vocal cord
    • Inflammation, inflamed, inflammatory(with exudation)
      • vocal cord
    • Keratosis
      • vocal cord
    • Leukokeratosis
      • vocal cord
    • Leukoplakia
      • vocal cord

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR RSP007
Other specified and unspecified upper respiratory disease
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Laryngeal Granuloma

    an inflammatory lesion of the vocal cords.

Patient EducationClinical

Throat Disorders

Your throat is a tube that carries food to your esophagus and air to your windpipe and larynx. The technical name for your throat is the pharynx.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert J38.3 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
478.5 Vocal cord disease NEC
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About J38.3Overview

Is J38.3 (Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report other diseases of vocal cords on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does J38.3 group to?

When other diseases of vocal cords is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 154, 155, 156, with relative weights from 0.6911 to 1.5635 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of J38.3?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, other diseases of vocal cords converts to ICD-9-CM 478.5 (vocal cord disease NEC). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

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.