K94.02

Billable

Colostomy infection

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 463 — Artificial Openings for Feeding or Elimination

0.233

V24HCC 188 — Artificial Openings for Feeding or Elimination

0.570

ESRDHCC 188 — Artificial Openings for Feeding or Elimination

0.000

What This Code Means

An infection occurring at or around the colostomy site.

Coding Tips

•Document the causative organism if identified through culture or testing
•Link to appropriate infection codes if systemic infection is present

Clinical Significance

Colostomy infection represents a serious complication that can lead to systemic illness and requires prompt antibiotic treatment and local care management. This condition can compromise stoma function and may require surgical intervention if severe.

Documentation Requirements

✓Presence of colostomy documented
✓Evidence of infection at colostomy site
✓Clinical signs of infection (erythema, purulence, fever)
✓Microbiological culture results if available
✓Severity of infection documented
✓Antibiotic therapy provided
✓Response to treatment
✓Impact on stoma function

Use Additional Code

code to specify type of infection, such as:
cellulitis of abdominal wall (L03.311)
sepsis (A40.-, A41.-)

Commonly Confused Codes

K94.00 — Unspecified colostomy complication when infection is documented L03.319 — Cellulitis when infection is clearly stoma-related K94.12 — Enterostomy infection for small bowel stomas T85.79XA — Infection of other internal prosthetic devices

Code Hierarchy

└K94Complications of artificial openings of the digestive system └K94.0Colostomy complications └K94.02Colostomy infection

└K94.02Colostomy infection