Peritoneal adhesions (postoperative) (postinfection)

This code represents the formation of fibrous bands of scar tissue within the peritoneal cavity, which can occur after abdominal surgery or inflammation/infection. These adhesions can cause organs to stick together, leading to various symptoms such as pain, bowel obstruction, or infertility.

Use this code when documentation explicitly states the presence of peritoneal adhesions that are a sequela of a previous surgical procedure or a past intra-abdominal infection (e.g., peritonitis, pelvic inflammatory disease). It is often used as a secondary diagnosis when adhesions are causing a current clinical problem.

• Ensure the documentation specifies the etiology as postoperative or postinfection; otherwise, a more general adhesion code may be appropriate.
• Consider sequencing this code after the primary diagnosis if the adhesions are causing a current condition (e.g., small bowel obstruction due to adhesions).
• Do not use this code for congenital adhesions or adhesions of specific organs if a more precise code exists.