In simple words: This code describes a newborn's condition where air gets trapped in the lung tissues, causing breathing difficulties. This happens shortly before, during, or after birth.

Interstitial emphysema and related conditions originating in the perinatal period. This code encompasses conditions where air is trapped within the interstitial tissues of the lungs, typically occurring during the perinatal period (before birth through the first 28 days after birth).

Example 1: A newborn infant, delivered at 36 weeks gestation, exhibits signs of respiratory distress shortly after birth. Upon examination, interstitial emphysema is diagnosed, likely due to the premature lung development. Code P25 is used., A term newborn develops respiratory distress after meconium aspiration. Imaging reveals interstitial emphysema complicating the initial diagnosis. P25 is used in conjunction with the code for meconium aspiration syndrome., A newborn infant requires mechanical ventilation due to respiratory distress syndrome. A subsequent chest X-ray shows the development of interstitial emphysema as a complication of the ventilation. Code P25 is used to document this complication.

Documentation for code P25 should include clinical findings such as respiratory distress, physical examination findings, chest X-ray or other imaging reports confirming interstitial emphysema, and any associated conditions or complications.

** Code P25 is a billable ICD-10-CM code for 2024. It's important to distinguish this general code from more specific subcodes like P25.0 (Interstitial emphysema originating in the perinatal period) and P25.1 (Pneumothorax originating in the perinatal period) for accurate reporting.For complex scenarios, always consult official coding guidelines and clinical documentation to ensure appropriate code selection.