K22.1

Header — not billable

Ulcer of esophagus

The ICD-10 code for ulcer of esophagus is K22.1.

K22.1 is a non-billable header code. It groups related conditions but cannot be used on its own for reimbursement — select one of the 2 more specific codes below.

Clinical notes

Code first

This code represents a manifestation of an underlying disease. Coding convention requires the underlying (etiology) code to be sequenced first, with this code listed second.

poisoning due to drug or toxin, if applicable (T36-T65 with fifth or sixth character 1-4)

Excludes1 (not coded here)

An Excludes1 note is a pure exclusion: the excluded condition and this code should never be reported together, because the two conditions cannot occur at the same time (e.g. a congenital form vs. an acquired form of the same disease).

Barrett's esophagus (K22.7-)

Also known as

Alternate wording, synonyms, or specific conditions that fall under this code, listed to help confirm you've picked the right one.

Barrett's ulcer
Erosion of esophagus
Fungal ulcer of esophagus
Peptic ulcer of esophagus
Ulcer of esophagus due to ingestion of chemicals
Ulcer of esophagus due to ingestion of drugs and medicaments
Ulcerative esophagitis

Use additional code

This code represents an underlying condition. When a related manifestation is also present, coding convention calls for an additional code to be listed after this one.

code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5)

Documentation support

General coding-documentation guidance — not a substitute for payer-specific requirements or professional coding judgment.

•This is a non-billable header code. Documentation must support a more specific child code before this diagnosis can be reported on a claim.
•Confirm the excluded condition(s) listed above are not also present — Excludes1 conditions cannot be coded together with this one.
•This code represents a manifestation. Documentation should identify the underlying condition, which must be coded first.
•If the associated manifestation or related condition noted above is also documented, an additional code should be reported alongside this one.
•As a general rule, code to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation in the medical record.