Skip to main content

K91.31 ICD-10-CM Code: Postprocedural partial intestinal obstruction

Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.

Coding at a Glance

Tabular directives
1 inclusion term · 7 Excludes2

Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v43, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 388 — GASTROINTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION WITH MCC (MDC 06)
  • MS-DRG 389 — GASTROINTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION WITH CC (MDC 06)
  • MS-DRG 390 — GASTROINTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION WITHOUT CC/MCC (MDC 06)
  • MS-DRG 791 — PREMATURITY WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)
  • MS-DRG 793 — FULL TERM NEONATE WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)

A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for K91.31 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2026Effective: October 1, 2025

Notes without a marker are published on K91.31 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Inclusion Terms

Alternative terms the tabular list files under this code.

  • Postprocedural incomplete intestinal obstruction

Excludes2 — Not Included Here

Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.

Source: inherited from K91

Coder workflow for K91.31

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement
Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).

Official instructions as workflow

  • Excludes2 — not part of K91.31(7 notes)

    Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in K91.31. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

    CompareK94, K95, K28, K68.11, K52.0, K62.7

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.b

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Code Overview

Postprocedural partial intestinal obstruction is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (K91.31).

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Indexed Clinical Terms (2)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

Official Coding Guidelines

No excerpt in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines names this code specifically. Its chapter carries only this chapter-wide note:

Chapter 11: Diseases of the Digestive System (K00-K95)

Reserved for future guideline expansion

Verify Before Coding

  • CC as a secondary diagnosis (FY2026). Can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name K91.31 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 1 Excludes1 note: K56 — Paralytic ileus and intestinal obstruction without hernia (via K91.3.-).

These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.

Referenced by 1 Excludes2 note: T81 — Complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified (via K91.-).

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2026)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2026 MS-DRG: CC — Complication or Comorbidity. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, this code raises the stay's MS-DRG severity tier — except when the principal diagnosis is one of 29 clinically related codes on its CMS exclusion list.

Named in the grouper logic of 5 MS-DRGs: DRG 388 (MDC 06), DRG 389 (MDC 06), DRG 390 (MDC 06), DRG 791 (MDC 15), DRG 793 (MDC 15).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):DIG024 — Postprocedural or postoperative digestive system complication (default); DIG012 — Intestinal obstruction and ileus.

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical process (MS-DRG)

Acts as CC — raises the severity of other admissions. CMS groups these diagnoses into one MS-DRG principal-diagnosis exclusion process — a CC/MCC on this list never raises severity when the principal diagnosis is also on it.

K56.600 — Partial intestinal obstruction, unspecified as to cause, K56.601 — Complete intestinal obstruction, unspecified as to cause, K56.609 — Unspecified intestinal obstruction, unspecified as to partial versus complete obstruction, K56.690 — Other partial intestinal obstruction, K56.691 — Other complete intestinal obstruction, K56.699 — Other intestinal obstruction unspecified as to partial versus complete obstruction, K56.7 — Ileus, unspecified, K63.4 — Enteroptosis, K63.8211 — Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, hydrogen-subtype, K63.8212 — Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, hydrogen sulfide-subtype, K63.8219 — Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, unspecified, K63.822 — Small intestinal fungal overgrowth, K63.829 — Intestinal methanogen overgrowth, unspecified, K63.89 — Other specified diseases of intestine, K63.9 — Disease of intestine, unspecified, K91.30 — Postprocedural intestinal obstruction, unspecified as to partial versus complete, K91.32 — Postprocedural complete intestinal obstruction, K92.89 — Other specified diseases of the digestive system, K92.9 — Disease of digestive system, unspecified, R11.13 — Vomiting of fecal matter, +8 more

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical categories (Postprocedural or postoperative digestive system complication, Intestinal obstruction and ileus).

K56.69 — Other intestinal obstruction, K56.690 — Other partial intestinal obstruction, K56.691 — Other complete intestinal obstruction, K56.699 — Other intestinal obstruction unspecified as to partial versus complete obstruction, K56.7 — Ileus, unspecified, K91.0 — Vomiting following gastrointestinal surgery, K91.1 — Postgastric surgery syndromes, K91.2 — Postsurgical malabsorption, not elsewhere classified, K91.3 — Postprocedural intestinal obstruction, K91.30 — Postprocedural intestinal obstruction, unspecified as to partial versus complete, K91.32 — Postprocedural complete intestinal obstruction, K91.5 — Postcholecystectomy syndrome, K91.61 — Intraoperative hemorrhage and hematoma of a digestive system organ or structure complicating a digestive system procedure, K91.62 — Intraoperative hemorrhage and hematoma of a digestive system organ or structure complicating other procedure, K91.71 — Accidental puncture and laceration of a digestive system organ or structure during a digestive system procedure, K91.72 — Accidental puncture and laceration of a digestive system organ or structure during other procedure, K91.81 — Other intraoperative complications of digestive system, K91.82 — Postprocedural hepatic failure, K91.83 — Postprocedural hepatorenal syndrome, K91.840 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a digestive system organ or structure following a digestive system procedure, +74 more

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main term “Obstruction, obstructed, obstructive”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

K56.691 — Other complete intestinal obstruction (intestine, specified NEC, complete), K56.699 — Other intestinal obstruction unspecified as to partial versus complete obstruction (band), K62.4 — Stenosis of anus and rectum (rectum), K76.89 — Other specified diseases of liver (hepatic), K80.21 — Calculus of gallbladder without cholecystitis with obstruction (cystic duct, with calculus), K80.51 — Calculus of bile duct without cholangitis or cholecystitis with obstruction (bile duct or passage, with calculus), K82.0 — Obstruction of gallbladder (gallbladder), K83.1 — Obstruction of bile duct (biliary), K86.89 — Other specified diseases of pancreas (pancreatic duct), K90.2 — Blind loop syndrome, not elsewhere classified (lacteal, with steatorrhea), N11.1 — Chronic obstructive pyelonephritis (pyelonephritis), N13.0 — Hydronephrosis with ureteropelvic junction obstruction (pelviureteral junction, with hydronephrosis), N13.1 — Hydronephrosis with ureteral stricture, not elsewhere classified (ureter NEC, with, hydronephrosis), N13.5 — Crossing vessel and stricture of ureter without hydronephrosis (ureter NEC), N13.6 — Pyonephrosis (ureter NEC, with, hydronephrosis, with infection), N13.8 — Other obstructive and reflux uropathy (renal, outflow), N13.9 — Obstructive and reflux uropathy, unspecified (urinary), N28.0 — Ischemia and infarction of kidney (artery, renal), N28.89 — Other specified disorders of kidney and ureter (renal), N32.0 — Bladder-neck obstruction (vesical NEC), +99 more

Lab tests where this diagnosis supports Medicare coverage (NCD)

Medicare's National Coverage Determination (NCD) program lists this diagnosis as medical justification for these lab tests.

Prothrombin Time Test and INR (PT/INR)

Contextual Map

Every relationship of K91.31 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run K91.31 with these 2 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

Referenced by Excludes2 notes

  • T81 — Complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified[Excludes2](via K91.-): “intraoperative and postprocedural complications of specific body system (D78.-, E36.-, E89.-, G97.3-, G97.4, H59.3-, H59.-, H95.2-, H95.3, I97.4-, I97.5, J95, K91.-, L76.-, M96.-, N99.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Clinical classification (CCSR)

MS-DRG Grouper

MDC crossing

  • MDC 06 — Diseases and Disorders of the Digestive System[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Digestive System — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 5,744 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026
  • MDC 15 — Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period[MDC crossing]: “Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2026

Index entries

  • Obstruction, obstructed, obstructive, intestine, postoperative, incomplete[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026
  • Obstruction, obstructed, obstructive, intestine, postoperative, partial[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026

Nearest codes (31)

Change history

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Coding guidelines Official source data
ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting (FY2026), quoted by section Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Inpatient payment groups Official source data
CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v43 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Change history

  • FY2018 — October 1, 2017
    Added to the code set
    Postprocedural partial intestinal obstruction
    FY2018 changes

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to K91.31 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the K91 family