J39.0

Retropharyngeal and parapharyngeal abscess

Billable code

This code does not map to a risk-adjusting HCC in the loaded models.

Coding notes

Excludes 1 never coded together · Excludes 2 may co-exist

This code · J39.0
Excludes 1

peritonsillar abscess (J36)

Synonyms

Peripharyngeal abscess

Inherited from J39Other diseases of upper respiratory tract
Excludes 1

acute respiratory infection NOS (J22) acute upper respiratory infection (J06.9) upper respiratory inflammation due to chemicals, gases, fumes or vapors (J68.2)

Inherited from chapter 10Diseases of the respiratory system
Excludes 2

certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96) certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99) complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A) congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99) endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88) injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88) neoplasms (C00-D49) smoke inhalation (T59.81-) symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

Use additional

code, where applicable, to identify: exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z77.22) exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period (P96.81) history of tobacco dependence (Z87.891) occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (Z57.31) tobacco dependence (F17.-) tobacco use (Z72.0)

Note

When a respiratory condition is described as occurring in more than one site and is not specifically indexed, it should be classified to the lower anatomic site (e.g. tracheobronchitis to bronchitis in J40).

Official Guidelines for J39.0

FY 2026 ›