Obstructive apnea of newborn

This code signifies a condition in a newborn characterized by recurrent episodes of complete or partial upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing. This obstruction prevents adequate airflow despite respiratory effort, resulting in hypoxemia and hypercapnia.

Utilize this code when documentation clearly indicates obstructive sleep apnea specifically diagnosed in a neonate. This typically involves polysomnography findings demonstrating obstructive events (e.g., absent airflow with continued respiratory effort) in an infant.

• Differentiate from central apnea of newborn (P28.3), where there is a lack of respiratory effort.
• Ensure documentation specifies "obstructive" apnea and not just "apnea of newborn" without further detail.
• Consider co-occurring conditions that may predispose to obstructive apnea, such as craniofacial anomalies or hypotonia.