J38.3 is the authoritative medical code for Other diseases of vocal cords. This classification is used in medical billing and clinical recording to specify the clinical criteria for other diseases of vocal cords (ICD-10-CM J38.3), ensuring healthcare documentation aligns with 2026 federal coding standards.
Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.
Official Registry Overview & Definition
Other diseases of vocal cords is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code J38.3. Inclusion terms: Abscess of vocal cords; Cellulitis of vocal cords; Granuloma of vocal cords; Leukokeratosis of vocal cords; Leukoplakia of vocal cords. Excludes1 (not coded here): congenital laryngeal stridor P28.89; obstructive laryngitis acute J05.0; postprocedural subglottic stenosis J95.5; stridor R06.1; ulcerative laryngitis J04.0.
Official Tabular Instructional Notes
Sequencing, inclusion, and exclusion notes published for J38.3 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list.
Inclusion Terms
Alternative terms the tabular list files under this code.
- Abscess of vocal cords
- Cellulitis of vocal cords
- Granuloma of vocal cords
- Leukokeratosis of vocal cords
- Leukoplakia of vocal cords
Excludes1 — Not Coded Here
Conditions that can never be reported with this code; the two are mutually exclusive.
- congenital laryngeal stridor P28.89
- obstructive laryngitis acute J05.0
- postprocedural subglottic stenosis J95.5
- stridor R06.1
- ulcerative laryngitis J04.0
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Clinical Guidance
What can't be coded together with J38.3?
Per Excludes1 instructions, J38.3 must not be reported with: congenital laryngeal stridor (P28.89); obstructive laryngitis (acute) (J05.0); postprocedural subglottic stenosis (J95.5); stridor (R06.1).
What conditions are included under J38.3?
Other diseases of vocal cords includes: Abscess of vocal cords; Cellulitis of vocal cords; Granuloma of vocal cords; Leukokeratosis of vocal cords; Leukoplakia of vocal cords.
Codes in This Family (11)
Official ICD-10-CM classifications in the same code family as J38.3, with their registry titles.
- J38 — Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classified
- J38.0 — Paralysis of vocal cords and larynx
- J38.00 — Paralysis of vocal cords and larynx, unspecified
- J38.01 — Paralysis of vocal cords and larynx, unilateral
- J38.02 — Paralysis of vocal cords and larynx, bilateral
- J38.1 — Polyp of vocal cord and larynx
- J38.2 — Nodules of vocal cords
- J38.4 — Edema of larynx
- J38.5 — Laryngeal spasm
- J38.6 — Stenosis of larynx
- J38.7 — Other diseases of larynx
Indexed Clinical Terms (13)
Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code.
- Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic), vocal cord
- Cellulitis (diffuse) (phlegmonous) (septic) (suppurative), vocal cord
- Cicatrix (adherent) (contracted) (painful) (vicious), vocal cord
- Disease, diseased, vocal cord
- Dysphonia, spastica
- Fixation, vocal cord
- Granuloma, vocal cord
- Hyperkeratosis, vocal cord
- Hypertrophy, hypertrophic, vocal cord
- Inflammation, inflamed, inflammatory (with exudation), vocal cord
- Keratosis, vocal cord
- Leukokeratosis, vocal cord
- Leukoplakia, vocal cord
Related Codes & Numerical Sequence (Crawl Map)
Search engines and indexers are advised to traverse adjacent medical codes in this sub-chapter range to find correlated diagnoses or therapeutic procedures:
ICD Code J39.3
Upper respiratory tract hypersensitivity reaction, site unspecified