Ventral hernia (K43)

The ICD-10 code section K43 covers ventral hernias, which are hernias occurring through the abdominal wall. These codes classify ventral hernias based on the presence of complications like obstruction or gangrene, and specify different types such as incisional and parastomal hernias.

This section helps medical coders identify and record specific types of ventral hernias, essential for accurate diagnosis and treatment documentation. For example, K43.0 and K43.1 refer to incisional hernias with obstruction or gangrene, commonly called irreducible incisional hernia or strangulated ventral incisional hernia. Codes K43.3 to K43.5 address parastomal hernias, which can also occur with or without obstruction or gangrene. Other variants like epigastric and Spigelian hernias fall under K43.6 to K43.9, categorized by their complications or lack thereof. Using these codes ensures precise representation of hernia types, avoiding confusion when conditions are referred to by common names such as "obstructed ventral incisional hernia" or "parastomal urostomy hernia."