2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K26.3Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation

ICD-10-CM Codes›K00–K95›K20-K31›K26

ICD-10-CM K26.3
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

K26.3 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 380 through 384. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 71 closely related codes. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Gastroduodenal ulcer.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
K26.3
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation
Short Description
Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
K26
Duodenal ulcer

Code Classification

ChapterK00–K95Diseases of the digestive system
SectionK20-K31Diseases of esophagus, stomach and duodenum
CategoryK26Duodenal ulcer
This CodeK26.3Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acute duodenal ulcer
  • Acute duodenal ulcer with obstruction
  • Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage AND without perforation
  • Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage AND without perforation but with obstruction
  • Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage, without perforation AND without obstruction
  • Acute erosion of duodenum
  • Acute peptic ulcer without hemorrhage AND without perforation
  • Acute peptic ulcer without hemorrhage, without perforation AND without obstruction
  • Duodenal erosion
  • Duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage AND without perforation
  • Duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage AND without perforation but with obstruction
  • Duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage, without perforation AND without obstruction
  • Peptic ulcer without hemorrhage, without perforation AND without obstruction

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to K26.3: its own notes plus those printed at K26, block K20-K31, and Chapter 11. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Includes

Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.

From K26 Duodenal ulcer applies to 9 codes
  • erosion (acute) of duodenum
  • duodenum ulcer (peptic)
  • postpyloric ulcer (peptic)

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

From K26 Duodenal ulcer applies to 9 codes

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Block K20-K31 Diseases of esophagus, stomach and duodenum applies to 106 codes
From Chapter 11 (K00-K95) Diseases of the digestive system applies to 863 codes
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

Use Additional Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

From K26 Duodenal ulcer applies to 9 codes
  • code to identify:
  • alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name K26.3, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 3

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming K26.3: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • K63.1 Perforation of intestine (nontraumatic)
    perforation (nontraumatic) of duodenum (K26.-) names K26.-, which includes this code
  • K63.3 Ulcer of intestine
    duodenal ulcer (K26.-) names K26.-, which includes this code
  • K92.2 Gastrointestinal hemorrhage, unspecified
    peptic ulcer with hemorrhage (K25-K28) names K25-K28, which includes this code

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR DIG005
Gastroduodenal ulcer
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Duodenal Ulcer

    a peptic ulcer located in the duodenum.

Patient EducationClinical

Peptic Ulcer

A peptic ulcer is a sore in the lining of your stomach or your duodenum, the first part of your small intestine. A burning stomach pain is the most common symptom. The pain:

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert K26.3 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
532.30 Acute duodenal ulcer NOS
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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About K26.3Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation?

The ICD-10-CM code for acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation is K26.3 (sometimes written as K263). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is K26.3 (Duodenal ulcer) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does K26.3 group to?

When acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 381, 380, 383, 384, 382, with relative weights from 0.7283 to 1.9243 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is K26.3 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists K26.3 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 71 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

Can K26.3 be reported with a code from K27?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at K26, which applies to K26.3, lists "peptic ulcer NOS (K27.-)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).