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J36 - Peritonsillar abscess

ICD-10-CM Chapter 10: Diseases of the respiratory system · J30-J39 Other diseases of upper respiratory tract (J30-J39) · Top-level category · FY2027

Includes, Excludes and Coding Notes

IncludesFrom J36

Conditions this code covers.

  • abscess of tonsil
  • peritonsillar cellulitis
  • quinsy
Excludes 1 — Not Coded HereFrom J36

Mutually exclusive: these conditions are never reported together with this code.

  • acute tonsillitis (J03.-)
  • chronic tonsillitis (J35.0)
  • retropharyngeal abscess (J39.0)
  • tonsillitis NOS (J03.9-)
Use Additional CodeFrom J36

Add a secondary code to identify the associated condition or cause when it is documented.

  • code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.
Excludes 2 — Not Included HereFrom Chapter J00-J99

Not part of this code; report both codes when the patient has both conditions.

  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • smoke inhalation (T59.81-)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
Use Additional CodeFrom Chapter J00-J99

Add a secondary code to identify the associated condition or cause when it is documented.

  • code, where applicable, to identify:
  • exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22)
  • exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period (P96.81)
  • history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891)
  • occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31)
  • tobacco dependence (F17.-)
  • tobacco use (Z72.0)
NotesFrom Chapter J00-J99

Instructional notes from the ICD-10-CM tabular list.

  • When a respiratory condition is described as occurring in more than one site and is not specifically indexed, it should be classified to the lower anatomic site (e.g. tracheobronchitis to bronchitis in J40).

Related condition guides

Documentation requirements, coding pitfalls and FAQs for conditions coded with J36.