K55.3Necrotizing enterocolitis

K55.3 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for necrotizing enterocolitis. It belongs to category K55 (vascular disorders of intestine), block K55-K64 (other diseases of intestines) and chapter 11 (diseases of the digestive system). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 4 subcodes must be used instead.

Within K55 (vascular disorders of intestine), K55.3 is specifically for necrotizing enterocolitis. Related codes cover acute vascular disorders of intestine (K55.0), chronic vascular disorders of intestine (K55.1), Angiodysplasia of colon (K55.2), other vascular disorders of intestine (K55.8) and vascular disorder of intestine, unspecified (K55.9).

To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: K55.30 (unspecified), K55.31 (enterocolitis), K55.32 (enterocolitis) and K55.33 (enterocolitis).

Don't report K55.3 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: necrotizing enterocolitis of newborn (P77.-).

The conditions in its Excludes2 note aren't part of K55.3, but may be coded alongside it if the patient has both: necrotizing enterocolitis due to Clostridium difficile (A04.7-).

It was added in FY2017, effective October 1, 2016.