Sialoadenitis

This code represents inflammation of a salivary gland, often caused by infection (bacterial or viral), obstruction (e.g., salivary stone), or autoimmune conditions. It typically presents with pain, swelling, and tenderness in the affected gland, such as the parotid or submandibular gland.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates inflammation of a salivary gland, regardless of the underlying etiology, if a more specific code for the cause is not available or appropriate. Common scenarios include acute or chronic sialadenitis, mumps-related sialadenitis (if not coded elsewhere), or inflammation due to duct obstruction.

• Differentiate from salivary gland calculus (sialolithiasis) if the stone is the primary diagnosis and not just a cause of inflammation.
• Specify laterality (e.g., right, left, bilateral) if documented, although ICD-9-CM does not offer laterality for this specific code.
• Consider an additional code for the underlying cause (e.g., bacterial infection, mumps) if known and documented.