2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code N28.9

Disorder of kidney and ureter, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Code:
N28.9
ICD-10 Code for:
Disorder of kidney and ureter, unspecified
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

N28.9 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of disorder of kidney and ureter, unspecified. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like N28.9 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Code Classification

  • Diseases of the genitourinary system
    N00–N99
    • Other disorders of kidney and ureter
      N25-N29
      • Other disorders of kidney and ureter, not elsewhere classified
        N28

Approximate Synonyms

The following list of clinical terms are approximate synonyms, alternative descriptions, or common phrases that might be used by patients, healthcare providers, or medical coders to describe the same condition. These synonyms and related diagnosis terms are often used when searching for an ICD-10 code, especially when the exact medical terminology is unclear. Whether you're looking for lay terms, similar diagnosis names, or common language alternatives, this list can help guide you to the correct ICD-10 classification.

  • Abnormal blue sclerae
  • Acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related nephropathy
  • Acute nephropathy
  • Acute renal impairment
  • Acute renal insufficiency
  • Anasarca
  • Anemia of renal disease
  • Arthrogryposis with renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome
  • Atherosclerosis, deafness, diabetes, epilepsy, nephropathy syndrome
  • Azotemia
  • Azotemia due to intrarenal disease
  • Chronic gout of ankle without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout of elbow without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout of hand without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout of hip without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout of knee without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout of multiple sites without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout of shoulder without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout of vertebra without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout of wrist without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gout without tophus due to renal impairment
  • Chronic gouty arthritis
  • Chronic gouty arthritis
  • Chronic gouty nephropathy
  • Chronic tophaceous gout due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of ankle due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of elbow due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of hand
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of hand due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of hip due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of knee due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of left wrist due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of multiple sites due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of right wrist due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of shoulder due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of vertebra due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of wrist due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of wrist due to renal impairment
  • Chronic tophaceous gout of wrist due to renal impairment
  • Congenital anomaly of sclera
  • Crystal arthropathy of wrist
  • Crystal arthropathy of wrist
  • Deteriorating renal function
  • Diabetes mellitus associated with genetic syndrome
  • Disorder of kidney and/or ureter
  • Disorder of kidney co-occurrent with human immunodeficiency virus infection
  • Disorder of kidney co-occurrent with human immunodeficiency virus infection
  • Disorder of kidney due to kappa light chain disease
  • Disorder of renal parenchyma
  • Disorder of ureter
  • Epiphyseal arrest due to kidney disease
  • Escape of urine from kidney
  • Escape of urine from ureter
  • Extravasation of urine
  • Extravasation of urine
  • Extravasation of urine from kidney
  • Extravasation of urine from renal pelvis
  • Extravasation of urine from ureter
  • Fetal disorder due to maternal renal disease
  • Gout of elbow due to renal impairment
  • Gout of elbow due to renal impairment
  • Gout of elbow due to renal impairment
  • Gout of hand due to renal impairment
  • Gout of hand due to renal impairment
  • Gout of hand due to renal impairment
  • Gout of hip due to renal impairment
  • Gout of hip due to renal impairment
  • Gout of hip due to renal impairment
  • Gout of knee due to renal impairment
  • Gout of knee due to renal impairment
  • Gout of knee due to renal impairment
  • Gout of multiple sites due to renal impairment
  • Gout of multiple sites due to renal impairment
  • Gout of multiple sites due to renal impairment
  • Gout of shoulder due to renal impairment
  • Gout of shoulder due to renal impairment
  • Gout of shoulder due to renal impairment
  • Gout of vertebra due to renal impairment
  • Gout of vertebra due to renal impairment
  • Gout of vertebra due to renal impairment
  • Gout of wrist due to renal impairment
  • Gout of wrist due to renal impairment
  • Gout of wrist due to renal impairment
  • Gout of wrist due to renal impairment
  • Gout of wrist due to renal impairment
  • Gouty arthritis of left radiocarpal joint
  • Gouty arthritis of left wrist
  • Gouty arthritis of radiocarpal joint
  • Gouty arthritis of radiocarpal joint
  • Gouty arthritis of right radiocarpal joint
  • Gouty arthritis of right wrist
  • Gouty arthritis of wrist
  • Gouty arthritis of wrist
  • Hydrocephalus, blue sclera, nephropathy syndrome
  • Hypocalciuria
  • Inherited disorder of bilirubin metabolism
  • Kidney disease
  • Kidney lesion
  • Lesion of ureter
  • Neonatal renal disorder
  • Neonatal renal disorder
  • Nephropathy due to acquired urinary tract obstruction
  • Nephropathy following eclampsia
  • Nephropathy following pre-eclampsia
  • Neural hearing loss
  • Neurogenic arthrogryposis multiplex congenita
  • Newborn renal dysfunction
  • Photomyoclonus, diabetes mellitus, deafness, nephropathy and cerebral dysfunction
  • Postoperative renal impairment
  • Renal complication of procedure
  • Renal function impairment with growth failure
  • Renal hypocalciuria
  • Renal impairment
  • Renal insufficiency
  • Renal retinopathy
  • Sequela following seizure
  • TAFRO syndrome
  • Urate nephropathy
  • Viral kidney infection
  • Visceral gout

Clinical Classification

Clinical Classifications group individual ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes into broader, clinically meaningful categories. These categories help simplify complex data by organizing related conditions under common clinical themes.

They are especially useful for data analysis, reporting, and clinical decision-making. Even when diagnosis codes differ, similar conditions can be grouped together based on their clinical relevance. Each category is assigned a unique CCSR code that represents a specific clinical concept, often tied to a body system or medical specialty.

Other specified and unspecified diseases of kidney and ureters

CCSR Code: GEN006

Inpatient Default: Y - Yes, default inpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.

Outpatient Default: Y - Yes, default outpatient assignment for principal diagnosis or first-listed diagnosis.

Clinical Information

  • Azotemia

    a biochemical abnormality referring to an elevation of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. azotemia can be produced by kidney diseases or other extrarenal disorders. when azotemia becomes associated with a constellation of clinical signs, it is termed uremia.
  • Acute Kidney Injury

    abrupt reduction in kidney function. acute kidney injury encompasses the entire spectrum of the syndrome including acute kidney failure; acute kidney tubular necrosis; and other less severe conditions.
  • Renal Insufficiency

    conditions in which the kidneys perform below the normal level in the ability to remove wastes, concentrate urine, and maintain electrolyte balance; blood pressure; and calcium metabolism. renal insufficiency can be classified by the degree of kidney damage (as measured by the level of proteinuria) and reduction in glomerular filtration rate.
  • Renal Insufficiency, Chronic

    conditions in which the kidneys perform below the normal level for more than three months. chronic kidney insufficiency is classified by five stages according to the decline in glomerular filtration rate and the degree of kidney damage (as measured by the level of proteinuria). the most severe form is the end-stage renal disease (chronic kidney failure). (kidney foundation: kidney disease outcome quality initiative, 2002)
  • Anasarca

    a condition that is characterized by the presence of generalized edema. causes include congestive heart failure, liver failure, renal failure, and severe malnutrition.

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Index of External Cause of Injuries

References found for this diagnosis code in the External Cause of Injuries Index:

    • Block, blocked
      • kidney
    • Cachexia
      • renal
    • Complication(s) (from) (of)
      • renal
    • Depletion
      • salt or sodium
        • nephropathy
    • Disease, diseased
      • kidney (functional) (pelvis)
    • Disease, diseased
      • renal (functional) (pelvis)
    • Disease, diseased
      • renal (functional) (pelvis)
        • acute
    • Disease, diseased
      • ureter
    • Disorder(of)
      • kidney
    • Disorder(of)
      • ureter (in)
    • Impaired, impairment(function)
      • kidney
    • Impaired, impairment(function)
      • renal (acute) (chronic)
    • Inefficiency, kidney
    • Insufficiency, insufficient
      • kidney
    • Insufficiency, insufficient
      • kidney
        • acute
    • Insufficiency, insufficient
      • renal (acute)
    • Low
      • function
        • kidney
    • Nephropathy
    • Nonfunctioning
      • kidney
    • Shutdown, renal
    • Suppression
      • renal

Convert N28.9 to ICD-9-CM

Below are the ICD-9 codes that most closely match this ICD-10 code, based on the General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs). This ICD-10 to ICD-9 crosswalk tool is helpful for coders who need to reference legacy diagnosis codes for audits, historical claims, or approximate code comparisons.

Renal & ureteral dis NOS

ICD-9-CM: 593.9

Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means this ICD-10 code does not have an exact ICD-9 equivalent. The matched code is the closest available option, but it may not fully capture the original diagnosis or clinical intent.

Patient Education


Kidney Diseases

You have two kidneys, each about the size of your fist. They are near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. Inside each kidney there are about a million tiny structures called nephrons. They filter your blood. They remove wastes and extra water, which become urine. The urine flows through tubes called ureters. It goes to your bladder, which stores the urine until you go to the bathroom.

Most kidney diseases attack the nephrons. This damage may leave kidneys unable to remove wastes. Causes can include genetic problems, injuries, or medicines. You have a higher risk of kidney disease if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a close family member with kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease damages the nephrons slowly over several years. Other kidney problems include:

  • Cancer
  • Cysts
  • Stones
  • Infections

Your doctor can do blood and urine tests to check if you have kidney disease. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Ureteral Disorders

Your kidneys make urine by filtering wastes and extra water from your blood. The urine travels from the kidneys to the bladder in two thin tubes called ureters.

The ureters are about 8 to 10 inches long. Muscles in the ureter walls tighten and relax to force urine down and away from the kidneys. Small amounts of urine flow from the ureters into the bladder about every 10 to 15 seconds.

Sometimes the ureters can become blocked or injured. This can block the flow of urine to the bladder. If urine stands still or backs up the ureter, you may get a urinary tract infection.

Doctors diagnose problems with the ureters using different tests. These include urine tests, x-rays, and examination of the ureter with a scope called a cystoscope. Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. It may include medicines and, in severe cases, surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Helping Your Child Adapt to Life with Chronic Kidney Disease

Overview of ways in which parents and other adults can help children with kidney disease overcome the daily challenges of living with a chronic illness.
[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2026 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2025 through 9/30/2026
  • FY 2025 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2024 through 9/30/2025
  • 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.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.