Abscess of lung and mediastinum (J85) ICD-10-CM
The J85 code range covers abscess of lung and mediastinum with 5 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. 4 of them are billable and valid for claim submission in fiscal year 2026, and the category headers group them but cannot themselves be billed.
Use Additional Code
The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.
Codes in the J85 Range 5 codes · 4 billable
About the J85 Code Range
The ICD-10 code section J85 is used to classify different types of abscesses occurring in the lung and mediastinum. These codes help specify whether the abscess is associated with pneumonia, necrosis, or isolated to lung or mediastinal tissues.
This section includes codes like J85.0 for cases involving lung gangrene and necrosis, which are also known as gangrenous pneumonia or pulmonary gangrene. The code J85.1 applies when a lung abscess occurs alongside pneumonia, sometimes referred to as confluent bronchopneumonia with abscess formation. For abscesses in the lung occurring without pneumonia, often called single or multiple lung abscesses or tuberculous abscesses, the appropriate code is J85.2. Additionally, J85.3 covers abscesses located specifically in the mediastinum, including those described as abscess of the wall of truncus arteriosus. These detailed codes enable accurate documentation and coding of complex infections affecting the respiratory and mediastinal regions, important for clinical, billing, and epidemiological purposes.
Questions About This Page
How many billable codes are in the J85 range?
Of the 5 codes in this range, 4 are billable and valid for claim submission from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Category header codes group them but cannot be reported on claims.
What does the J85 range classify?
The range classifies abscess of lung and mediastinum. Each code links to its own reference page with billing status, MS-DRG grouping, coding notes, and clinical information.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
