Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed. Here is a detailed overview of the condition along with the related ICD-10 codes.

1. Medical Coding for
Pancreatitis - Use These
ICD-10 Codes
Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the
pancreas becomes inflamed. Here is a detailed
overview of the condition along with the related
ICD-10 codes.
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Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas – a long, flat gland that resides
behind the stomach in the upper abdomen. The pancreas secretes enzymes that help
in digestion and hormones that help regulate the way the body processes sugar
(glucose). The condition occurs when digestive enzymes become activated (while
still in the pancreas), irritating the cells of the pancreas and causing inflammation.
Repeated attacks of pancreatitis can cause damage to the pancreas resulting in loss
of function and formation of scar tissue. A poorly functioning pancreas can lead to
digestion problems and diabetes. Pancreatitis can come and go suddenly, or it can
be a chronic problem. The type of treatment will depend on the intensity of the
condition and whether it is acute or chronic. If left untreated, this condition can
cause serious complications such as kidney failure, infection, breathing problems,
pseudocyst, diabetes, malnutrition and at time pancreatic cancer.
Gastroenterologists treating this condition can rely on medical billing and coding
companies to meet their claim submission tasks and thus receive reimbursement
on time.
Generally, inflammation in the pancreas develops gradually and tends to become
progressively worse. There are two forms of pancreatitis - acute and chronic. Acute
pancreatitis – appears suddenly and lasts for days. It usually begins with pain in the
upper abdomen. The pain may be a constant or severe pain just in the abdomen or
it may reach to the back and other areas. Chronic pancreatitis occurs over many
years and can cause permanent damage to the pancreas. Reports from the National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) suggest that
about 210,000 American adults are admitted to the hospital for acute pancreatitis
every year.

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What Symptoms Do People Experience?
Chronic pain in the middle-left upper part of abdomen is one of the primary
symptoms of pancreatitis (whether it is acute or chronic). Pain may often last from
a few minutes to several hours at a time. Typical symptoms include –
 Upper abdominal pain
 Abdominal pain that radiates to your back
 Unintentional weight loss
 Tenderness when touching the abdomen
 Rapid pulse
 Nausea or vomiting
 Indigestion
 Hiccups
 Fever
 Abdominal pain that feels worse after eating
 Oily, smelly stools (steatorrhea)
How to Diagnose and Treat Pancreatitis
Diagnosis of pancreatitis will begin with a detailed physical examination.
Physicians will recommend a combination of blood tests to show the level of rise
in pancreatic enzymes. Diagnostic imaging studies such as Ultrasound, MRI, and
CT scans will be conducted to identify the anatomy of the pancreas, signs of
inflammation, and information about the biliary and pancreatic ducts. A fecal fat
test can also determine if the patient’s stools have fat content that’s higher than
normal.

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Initial treatment modality for this condition may include fasting, wherein the
patients stop eating for a couple of days in the hospital in order to give the
pancreas a chance to recover. Pain medications can help control severe pain. In
addition, intravenous (IV) fluids will be administered through a vein in the arm to
repair the pancreas.
Once the patient’s condition is brought under control, gastroenterologists will start
treatment for the exact, underlying causes of pancreatitis. Depending on the
specific causes of pancreatitis, treatment options may include procedures to
remove bile duct obstructions, pancreas surgery, or gall bladder surgery (if
gallstones caused the pancreatitis).
Gastroenterology medical billing and coding can be challenging. The diagnosis,
screening tests and other procedures performed by gastroenterologists or other
physicians need to be documented using the correct medical codes. Medical billing
and coding services ensure this so that claim denials are avoided. ICD-10 codes
used for this condition include –
K85 - Acute pancreatitis
K85.0 - Idiopathic acute pancreatitis
 K85.00 - Idiopathic acute pancreatitis, without necrosis or infection
 K85.01 - Idiopathic acute pancreatitis, with uninfected necrosis
 K85.02 - Idiopathic acute pancreatitis, with infected necrosis
K85.1 - Biliary acute pancreatitis
 K85.10 - Biliary acute pancreatitis, without necrosis or infection
 K85.11 - Biliary acute pancreatitis, with uninfected necrosis
 K85.12 - Biliary acute pancreatitis, with infected necrosis

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K85.2 - Alcohol induced acute pancreatitis
 K85.20 - Alcohol induced acute pancreatitis, without necrosis or
infection
 K85.21 - Alcohol induced acute pancreatitis, with uninfected necrosis
 K85.22 - Alcohol induced acute pancreatitis, with infected necrosis
K85.3 - Drug induced acute pancreatitis
 K85.30 - Drug induced acute pancreatitis, without necrosis or infection
 K85.31 - Drug induced acute pancreatitis, with uninfected necrosis
 K85.32 - Drug induced acute pancreatitis, with infected necrosis
K85.8 - Other acute pancreatitis
 K85.80 - Other acute pancreatitis, without necrosis or infection
 K85.81 - Other acute pancreatitis, with uninfected necrosis
 K85.82 - Other acute pancreatitis, with infected necrosis
K85.9 - Acute pancreatitis, unspecified
 K85.90 - Acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection, unspecified
 K85.91 - Acute pancreatitis with uninfected necrosis, unspecified
 K85.92 - Acute pancreatitis with infected necrosis, unspecified
After undergoing treatment for this condition, there are several lifestyle remedies
that people can follow to prevent the occurrence or get full recovery from
pancreatitis. These include consuming a low-fat, healthy diet, drinking lots of
fluids (to stay hydrated), consuming vitamin supplements, stopping the habit of
smoking and limiting or stopping the intake of alcohol.

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Knowing the specific ICD-10 code categories for documenting different types of
pancreatitis is critical for healthcare providers. Partnering with a reliable and
experienced medical billing and coding company is important for physicians to
ensure accurate and timely claim submissions.