Umbilical Hernia ICD-10-CM Codes
Read this short guide and learn about umbilical hernia ICD codes you can use.
Fact Checked by Nate Lacson.
What umbilical hernia ICD codes can I use?
You can use only three umbilical hernia ICD codes for your patients. Here they are:
1. K42.0 - Umbilical hernia with obstruction, without gangrene
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient confirmed to have an umbilical hernia. In the context of this ICD-10 code, there is also an obstruction, but the patient isn't dealing with gangrene.
Gangrene is the term healthcare professionals use when referring to the death and decomposition of tissues resulting from bacterial infections, obstructions that prevent circulation, or both.
2. K42.1 - Umbilical hernia with gangrene
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient confirmed to have an umbilical hernia. The patient must also have gangrene.
3. K42.9 - Umbilical hernia without obstruction or gangrene
This ICD-10 code is meant to be used on a patient confirmed to have an umbilical hernia with no complications (obstructions and gangrene).
Are these umbilical hernia ICD codes billable?
Yes. All three umbilical hernia-related ICD-10 codes listed above are valid and billable.
Clinical information about umbilical hernia:
An umbilical hernia is a type of hernia that is common in infants. Once the umbilical cord has been removed in babies, abdominal muscles should meet and close as the infant slowly matures. Sometimes, these abdominal muscles don't fully close and leave a small hole where a part of the intestine can move. When a part of the intestine moves through this hole, it causes the area of the belly button to bulge. This bulge becomes visible whenever the infant cries or coughs. This hernia is, more often than not, painless in infants.
Now, if you're wondering if it's possible for adults to have this type of hernia, the answer is yes, and it may cause discomfort in the abdominal area.
This type of hernia becomes dangerous if the part of the intestine that protrudes into the hole becomes stuck and doesn't get enough blood circulation. If this happens, the patient may experience the following symptoms:
- Their abdomen will look round and full
- Their abdomen may feel pain and become tender
- There will be a bulge, and it may have a red, purple, or dark hue
- They will become constipated
- They become prone to having fevers, and they might even become nauseated and vomit
If left unchecked and untreated, the patient might get gangrene, and the intestine might become necrotic.
Synonyms include:
- Intestinal obstruction due to recurrent umbilical hernia
- Irreducible umbilical hernia
- Obstructed umbilical hernia
- Paraumbilical hernia
- Paraumbilical hernia - irreducible
- Paraumbilical hernia with obstruction
- Strangulated paraumbilical hernia
- Strangulated umbilical hernia
- Gangrene due to recurrent umbilical hernia
- Paraumbilical hernia with gangrene
- Paraumbilical hernia with gangrene and obstruction
- Umbilical hernia with gangrene
- Umbilical hernia with gangrene and obstruction
Commonly asked questions
There is one more, but we left it out because it is unbillable and invalid.
Healthcare professionals will conduct physical examinations and might even conduct imaging tests to confirm and diagnose it.
Healthcare professionals will perform a surgical procedure to push the intestine back down and close the opening in the abdominal muscles.
