J86 - Pyothorax

Specific Coding for Pyothorax

Non-specific codes like J86 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10 codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for pyothorax:

Patient Education

Abscess

An abscess is a pocket of pus. You can get an abscess almost anywhere in your body. When an area of your body becomes infected, your body's immune system tries to fight the infection. White blood cells go to the infected area, collect within the damaged tissue, and cause inflammation. During this process, pus forms. Pus is a mixture of living and dead white blood cells, germs, and dead tissue.

Bacteria, viruses, parasites and swallowed objects can all lead to abscesses. Skin abscesses are easy to detect. They are red, raised and painful. Abscesses inside your body may not be obvious and can damage organs, including the brain, lungs and others. Treatments include drainage and antibiotics.

Chest Injuries and Disorders

What is the chest?

The chest is the part of your body between your neck and your abdomen (belly). The medical term for your chest is thorax.

Your chest holds many important structures for breathing, digestion, blood circulation, and other important body functions. These structures include your:

• Ribs and breastbone
• Esophagus, the tube between your mouth and stomach
• Trachea, your windpipe
• Bronchi, the tubes that carry air from your windpipe to your lungs
• Lungs
• Pleura, a thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the inside wall of the chest space
• Heart and large blood vessels
• Thymus, a gland that's part of your immune system
• Nerves

What are chest injuries and disorders?

Chest injuries and disorders are problems that affect any of the organs or structures located in your chest.

There are many types of chest injuries and disorders, for example:

• Broken ribs
• Esophagus disorders
• Swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia
• Tracheal disorders
• Bronchial disorders
• Lung diseases and collapsed lung
• Pleural disorders
• Heart diseases
• Mediastinal diseases, which are tumors, inflammation, and other problems with the structures in the mediastinum, which is the space between your lungs, breastbone, and spine
• Thoracic aortic aneurysm
• Thoracic outlet syndrome

Chest injuries may happen from the force of car accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Or the chest may be pierced by a bullet or sharp object. Because your chest holds so many important structures, certain chest injuries may be life-threatening.

How are chest injuries and disorders diagnosed?

Diagnosis of chest injuries or disorders depends on the type of symptoms you're having and whether you've had a chest injury. Injuries are usually obvious, but in most cases, you'll need tests to know how serious an injury is.

There are many types of tests for diagnosing different types of chest injuries and disorders, for example:

• Diagnostic imaging tests
• Heart tests
• Lung function tests
• Bronchoscopy
• Pleural fluid analysis
• Dysphagia tests
• Biopsy

Treatments will depend on the type of chest injury or disorder you have.

Code History

• 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 (First year ICD-10-CM implemented into the HIPAA code set)