K90.81

Billable

Whipple's disease

HCC Category Mapping

RxHCCHCC 66 — Pancreatic Disease and Disorders

0.000

What This Code Means

A rare infectious disease caused by bacteria that damages the small intestine, leading to severe malabsorption, weight loss, and joint pain.

Coding Tips

•Confirm diagnosis with appropriate testing (PCR, histology) as Whipple's disease is rare and often misdiagnosed
•Document antibiotic treatment and any systemic manifestations (arthralgia, fever, lymphadenopathy)

Clinical Significance

Whipple's disease is a rare but serious systemic infection that can be fatal if untreated, requiring prolonged antibiotic therapy. This condition affects multiple organ systems beyond the intestines and represents a significant risk for morbidity and mortality.

Documentation Requirements

✓Positive tissue biopsy showing Tropheryma whipplei organisms
✓PAS-positive macrophages in small bowel biopsy
✓Clinical syndrome including malabsorption and weight loss
✓Systemic manifestations (arthritis, neurologic symptoms)
✓PCR confirmation of Tropheryma whipplei if available
✓Response to appropriate antibiotic therapy
✓Duration of symptoms and systemic involvement
✓Exclusion of other causes of malabsorption

Commonly Confused Codes

K90.89 — Other malabsorption lacks the specific infectious etiology A49.9 — Unspecified bacterial infection doesn't capture the specific organism K90.9 — Unspecified malabsorption used when Whipple's cannot be confirmed M13.10 — Monoarthritis may be present but doesn't capture the systemic disease

Code Hierarchy

└K90Intestinal malabsorption └K90.8Other intestinal malabsorption └K90.81Whipple's disease

└K90.81Whipple's disease