J86.9 Pyothorax without fistula

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026. Acts as a Major Complication or Comorbidity (MCC) as a secondary diagnosis.

Applicable to

• Abscess of pleura
• Abscess of thorax
• Empyema (chest) (lung) (pleura)
• Fibrinopurulent pleurisy
• Purulent pleurisy
• Pyopneumothorax
• Septic pleurisy
• Seropurulent pleurisy
• Suppurative pleurisy

Applies from J86 Pyothorax

Excludes1 (never code together)

• abscess of lung (J85.-)
• pyothorax due to tuberculosis (A15.6)

Use additional code

• code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.

Risk adjustment (HCC)

• CMS-HCC V28: HCC 283 — Empyema, Lung Abscess
• CMS-HCC V22: HCC 115 — Pneumococcal Pneumonia, Empyema, Lung Abscess
• ESRD V24: HCC 115

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 177-179 in MDC 04.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• 510.9 Empyema without mention of fistula (approximate)
• 511.0 Pleurisy without mention of effusion or current tuberculosis (approximate)

Code annotations containing back-references to J86.9

Back-references to J86

• Type 1 Excludes: J93 Pneumothorax and air leak ("pyopneumothorax (J86.-)")

Diagnosis Index entries for J86.9

• Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) › chest
• Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) › peripleuritic
• Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) › pleura
• Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) › thorax
• Empyema (acute) (chest) (double) (pleura) (supradiaphragmatic) (thorax)
• Pleurisy (acute) (adhesive) (chronic) (costal) (diaphragmatic) (double) (dry) (fibrinous) (fibrous) (interlobar) (latent) (plastic) (primary) (residual) (sicca) (sterile) (subacute) (unresolved) › staphylococcal
• Pyopneumothorax (infective)
• Pyothorax

Nearby codes

• J86 Pyothorax
• J86.0 Pyothorax with fistula
• J86.9 Pyothorax without fistula (this code)