2025 ICD-10-CM code K35.8
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Diseases of the digestive system - Diseases of appendix (K35-K38) Diseases of the digestive system (K00-K95) Feed
Other and unspecified acute appendicitis.
Medical necessity for K35.8 is established when the diagnosis of acute appendicitis is confirmed by appropriate diagnostic methods and clinical findings. This diagnosis requires symptoms and signs consistent with appendicitis, often with imaging confirmation.
The physician is responsible for diagnosing the appendicitis through physical examination, patient history, and imaging studies. They are also responsible for determining the best course of treatment, which may include surgery, antibiotics, or observation.
In simple words: This code signifies acute appendicitis that doesn't fit into more specific categories, such as those with generalized or localized peritonitis.It covers other forms of acute inflammation of the appendix.
Other and unspecified acute appendicitis.
Example 1: A patient presents with right lower quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Imaging reveals inflammation of the appendix without any signs of rupture or peritonitis. The physician diagnoses acute appendicitis and performs an appendectomy., A patient presents with abdominal pain and fever. After further evaluation and imaging studies, appendicitis is confirmed. However, it is atypical or the presentation is unusual, fitting better with 'other' appendicitis classifications. , During a surgical exploration for another condition, acute appendicitis is incidentally discovered, and the appendix is removed. The appendicitis wasn't the primary reason for the surgery, but it was acutely inflamed, requiring appendectomy.
Documentation should include details of the patient's symptoms, physical findings, imaging results (e.g., ultrasound, CT scan), and the physician's clinical judgment supporting the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Temporal parameters like duration and progression of pain are important and if there are signs of complications like peritonitis, these must be clearly documented.
** This code should only be used when the acute appendicitis does not meet the criteria for more specific codes within the K35 category. Consider consulting iFrameAI for most up to date and comprehensive data for complex scenarios.
- Specialties:General surgery, emergency medicine, internal medicine, family medicine, pediatric surgery.
- Place of Service:Inpatient Hospital, Emergency Room - Hospital, Ambulatory Surgical Center, Office, Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home, Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home