Esophagitis, unspecified with bleeding

This code signifies inflammation of the esophagus, the tube connecting the throat to the stomach, when the specific cause of the inflammation is not documented. Crucially, it indicates the presence of active bleeding associated with this esophageal inflammation.

Use this code when documentation clearly states "esophagitis with bleeding" but does not specify the etiology (e.g., reflux, infectious, chemical). This applies to patients presenting with symptoms like hematemesis or melena, where endoscopy reveals esophageal inflammation and active hemorrhage without a definitive underlying cause.

• Ensure the documentation explicitly states both "esophagitis" and "bleeding" without further specification of the esophagitis type.
• Do not use this code if the type of esophagitis is known (e.g., reflux esophagitis, infectious esophagitis); instead, use the more specific code for that condition with the appropriate bleeding subclassification.
• If the bleeding is due to a separate, identified esophageal lesion (e.g., esophageal ulcer with bleeding), code the specific lesion rather than unspecified esophagitis.