Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code K81

Cholecystitis

ICD-10-CM Code:
K81
ICD-10 Code for:
Cholecystitis
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the digestive system
    (K00–K95)
    • Disorders of gallbladder, biliary tract and pancreas
      (K80-K87)
      • Cholecystitis
        (K81)

K81 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of cholecystitis. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Cholecystitis

Non-specific codes like K81 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for cholecystitis:

  • Use K81.0 for Acute cholecystitis - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K81.1 for Chronic cholecystitis - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K81.2 for Acute cholecystitis with chronic cholecystitis - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use K81.9 for Cholecystitis, unspecified - BILLABLE CODE

Clinical Information

  • Acalculous Cholecystitis

    inflammation of the gallbladder wall in the absence of gallstones.
  • Cholecystitis

    inflammation of the gallbladder; generally caused by impairment of bile flow, gallstones in the biliary tract, infections, or other diseases.
  • Cholecystitis, Acute

    acute inflammation of the gallbladder wall. it is characterized by the presence of abdominal pain; fever; and leukocytosis. gallstone obstruction of the cystic duct is present in approximately 90% of the cases.
  • Emphysematous Cholecystitis

    a variant of acute cholecystitis with inflammation of the gallbladder that is characterized by the pockets of gas in the gallbladder wall. it is due to secondary infection caused by gas-forming organisms, and has a high risk of perforation.
  • Gallbladder

    a storage reservoir for bile secretion. gallbladder allows the delivery of bile acids at a high concentration and in a controlled manner, via the cystic duct to the duodenum, for degradation of dietary lipid.
  • Acalculous Cholecystitis

    inflammation of the gallbladder in the absence of gallstones.
  • Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis

    acute inflammation of the gallbladder in the absence of gallstones
  • Acute Cholecystitis

    acute inflammation of the gallbladder.
  • Cholecystitis

    an acute or chronic inflammation involving the gallbladder wall. it may be associated with the presence of gallstones.
  • Cholecystitis with Cholelithiasis

    an acute or chronic inflammation of the gallbladder associated with the presence of gallstones.
  • Cholecystitis, CTCAE 5.0|Cholecystitis|Cholecystitis

    a disorder characterized by inflammation involving the gallbladder. it may be associated with the presence of gallstones.
  • Chronic Acalculous Cholecystitis

    chronic cholecystitis not associated with the presence of gallstones.
  • Chronic Cholecystitis

    cholecystitis that is persistent and long-standing.
  • Emphysematous Cholecystitis

    cholecystitis resulting from infection by gas producing organisms.
  • Grade 2 Cholecystitis, CTCAE|Grade 2 Cholecystitis|Grade 2 Cholecystitis

    symptomatic; medical intervention indicated
  • Grade 3 Cholecystitis, CTCAE|Grade 3 Cholecystitis|Grade 3 Cholecystitis

    severe symptoms; invasive intervention indicated
  • Grade 4 Cholecystitis, CTCAE|Grade 4 Cholecystitis|Grade 4 Cholecystitis

    life-threatening consequences; urgent operative intervention indicated
  • Grade 5 Cholecystitis, CTCAE|Grade 5 Cholecystitis|Grade 5 Cholecystitis

    death
  • Xanthogranulomatous Cholecystitis

    cholecystitis that is characterized by nodules containing lipid.

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Use Additional Code

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.
  • code if applicable for associated gangrene of gallbladder K82.A1 K82.A2

Type 1 Excludes

Type 1 Excludes
A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
  • cholecystitis with cholelithiasis K80

Patient Education


Gallbladder Diseases

Your gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ under your liver. It stores bile, a fluid made by your liver to digest fat. As your stomach and intestines digest food, your gallbladder releases bile through a tube called the common bile duct. The duct connects your gallbladder and liver to your small intestine.

Your gallbladder is most likely to give you trouble if something blocks the flow of bile through the bile ducts. That is usually a gallstone. Gallstones form when substances in bile harden. Rarely, you can also get cancer in your gallbladder.

Many gallbladder problems get better with removal of the gallbladder. Fortunately, you can live without a gallbladder. Bile has other ways of reaching your small intestine.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • 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. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.