K91.87 ICD-10-CM Code: Postprocedural hematoma and seroma of a digestive system organ or structure following a procedure

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for K91.87 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Notes without a marker are published on K91.87 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Coder workflow for K91.87

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

Before you code K91.87

1. K91.87 is not reportable as written. Select the more specific code beneath it that the documentation supports. Codes are reported to the highest level of specificity the classification provides (Guidelines I.B.2).

   ReviewK91.870, K91.871, K91.872, K91.873

   See the relationships section · Guide: How to choose an ICD-10-CM code →

Choose the right path

1. Does the documentation support one of the more specific codes beneath K91.87?
   Yes → Select that code and continue the checks below on its own page.
   No → K91.87 cannot be reported as written; query for the specificity its subcategory needs.

   ReviewK91.870, K91.871, K91.872, K91.873

Consider K91.87. Then confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

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 K91.87(7 notes)

  Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in K91.87. 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.

Don’t confuse K91.87 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of K91.87 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

• K94— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of complications of artificial opening of digestive system adds K94; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: K91.87 vs K94 →

• K95— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of complications of bariatric procedures adds K95; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: K91.87 vs K95 →

• K28— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of gastrojejunal ulcer adds K28; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: K91.87 vs K28 →

• K68.11— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of postprocedural (radiation) retroperitoneal abscess adds K68.11; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: K91.87 vs K68.11 →

• K52.0— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of radiation colitis adds K52.0; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: K91.87 vs K52.0 →

• K62.7— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of radiation proctitis adds K62.7; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: K91.87 vs K62.7 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Verify Before Coding

• Not billable as written — a more specific code is required: K91.870, K91.871, K91.872, K91.873.

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 K91.87 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 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.

Contextual Map

Every relationship of K91.87 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 K91.87 with this related code in Claim Check

Hierarchy

• K00-K95 — Chapter 11: Diseases of the Digestive System (K00-K95) (K00-K95)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• K90-K95 — Other diseases of the digestive system[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

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

Nearest codes (31)

• K91 — Intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of digestive system, not elsewhere classified[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• K91.0 — Vomiting following gastrointestinal surgery[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• K91.1 — Postgastric surgery syndromes[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• K91.2 — Postsurgical malabsorption, not elsewhere classified[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• K91.3 — Postprocedural intestinal obstruction[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• K91.30 — Postprocedural intestinal obstruction, unspecified as to partial versus complete[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• K91.31 — Postprocedural partial intestinal obstruction[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• K91.32 — Postprocedural complete intestinal obstruction[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• and 23 more

Change history

• FY2017 — Added to the code set[Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2017

Common coding questions

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

Claim edits Official source data

CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) 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

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to K91.87 in its code family, with their registry titles.

• K91.841 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a digestive system organ or structure following other procedure
• K91.85 — Complications of intestinal pouch
• K91.850 — Pouchitis
• K91.858 — Other complications of intestinal pouch
• K91.86 — Retained cholelithiasis following cholecystectomy
• K91.870 — Postprocedural hematoma of a digestive system organ or structure following a digestive system procedure
• K91.871 — Postprocedural hematoma of a digestive system organ or structure following other procedure
• K91.872 — Postprocedural seroma of a digestive system organ or structure following a digestive system procedure
• K91.873 — Postprocedural seroma of a digestive system organ or structure following other procedure
• K91.89 — Other postprocedural complications and disorders of digestive system

View all codes in the K91 family