Medical notice. This page is for information only. It is not medical advice and does not replace a doctor. Severe abdominal pain needs urgent care — call 112 or go to hospital. See the medical disclaimer.
This hub lists ICD-10-CM codes for pancreatitis used in the United States (FY 2026, effective 1 October 2025), drawn from icd10data.com. It is a coding reference for clinicians, coders and patients looking up codes — not a diagnosis or billing instruction for your case. Other countries may use different ICD-10 adaptations.
Watch: Alila Medical Media — educational animation of the pancreas. Not medical advice.
How pancreatitis is coded (K85 and K86)
| Block | Meaning | Parent billable? | Detail pages on this site |
|---|---|---|---|
| K85 | Acute pancreatitis (includes acute recurrent, subacute) | No — need 5th/6th character | Acute pancreatitis ICD-10 (K85) |
| K86.0 | Alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis | Yes (listed under K86) | Chronic pancreatitis ICD-10 |
| K86.1 | Other chronic pancreatitis | Yes | Chronic pancreatitis ICD-10 (K86.1) |
| K86.2 | Cyst of pancreas | Yes | Related code — dedicated page planned on this site |
| K86.3 | Pseudocyst of pancreas | Yes | Related code — dedicated page planned on this site |
| K86.81 | Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) | Yes | Related code — dedicated page planned on this site |
| K86.89 / K86.9 | Other specified / unspecified diseases of pancreas | Yes | Related codes |
Clinical background (not code definitions): Acute pancreatitis, Chronic pancreatitis, Necrotizing pancreatitis.
Cite: ICD-10-CM K85; ICD-10-CM K86.
K85 — Acute pancreatitis (full axis)
K85 is a non-billable parent. Each etiology branch uses a necrosis/infection axis:
- x0 — without necrosis or infection
- x1 — with uninfected necrosis
- x2 — with infected necrosis
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| K85.00 | Idiopathic acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection |
| K85.01 | Idiopathic acute pancreatitis with uninfected necrosis |
| K85.02 | Idiopathic acute pancreatitis with infected necrosis |
| K85.10 | Biliary acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection |
| K85.11 | Biliary acute pancreatitis with uninfected necrosis |
| K85.12 | Biliary acute pancreatitis with infected necrosis |
| K85.20 | Alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection |
| K85.21 | Alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis with uninfected necrosis |
| K85.22 | Alcohol-induced acute pancreatitis with infected necrosis |
| K85.30 | Drug-induced acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection |
| K85.31 | Drug-induced acute pancreatitis with uninfected necrosis |
| K85.32 | Drug-induced acute pancreatitis with infected necrosis |
| K85.80 | Other acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection |
| K85.81 | Other acute pancreatitis with uninfected necrosis |
| K85.82 | Other acute pancreatitis with infected necrosis |
| K85.90 | Acute pancreatitis without necrosis or infection, unspecified |
| K85.91 | Acute pancreatitis with uninfected necrosis, unspecified |
| K85.92 | Acute pancreatitis with infected necrosis, unspecified |
Includes (parent K85): acute pancreatitis (recurrent), subacute pancreatitis. Full documentation tips: Acute pancreatitis ICD-10. (icd10data — K85)
K86 — Other diseases of pancreas
| Code | Description | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| K86.0 | Alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis | Distinct from K86.1 |
| K86.1 | Other chronic pancreatitis | Applicable To: Chronic pancreatitis NOS; Infectious chronic pancreatitis; Recurrent chronic pancreatitis; Relapsing chronic pancreatitis. Code Also K86.81 (EPI) when applicable |
| K86.2 | Cyst of pancreas | Related; page planned on this site |
| K86.3 | Pseudocyst of pancreas | Related; page planned on this site |
| K86.81 | Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency | Code Also with K86.1 when applicable |
| K86.89 | Other specified diseases of pancreas | |
| K86.9 | Disease of pancreas, unspecified |
Detail: Chronic pancreatitis ICD-10 (K86.1). (icd10data — K86; K86.1)
Gallstone (biliary) acute disease is coded under K85.1x, not a separate “gallstone pancreatitis” parent in this list. Dedicated gallstone-pancreatitis ICD and pancreatic-cyst ICD pages are planned on this site; codes appear above without inventing live internal links.
Dual coding: acute and chronic together
ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting (FY 2026) §I.B.8: if the same condition is described as both acute and chronic, and separate subentries exist in the Alphabetic Index at the same indentation level, code both and sequence the acute code first. (ICD-10-CM guidelines context via icd10data code pages)
Example pattern (illustrative only): an acute flare coded with a K85.xx code, plus K86.0 or K86.1 for underlying chronic disease when both are documented — acute first. Your facility’s coding policy and the full FY2026 guideline text govern actual claims.
What this page is not
- Not a substitute for the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List, Alphabetic Index, or payer rules.
- Not clinical advice about acute or chronic disease.
- Not a statement that every country uses these exact K85/K86 strings — this is US ICD-10-CM.
Key takeaways
- Acute pancreatitis → K85 family; parent K85 is not billable — pick etiology + necrosis/infection.
- Chronic → K86.0 (alcohol-induced) or K86.1 (other); Code Also K86.81 for EPI when documented.
- Cysts/pseudocysts → K86.2 / K86.3; EPI → K86.81 (pages planned).
- Acute + chronic with separate index entries → code both, acute first (§I.B.8).
- Always verify against the current Tabular List and your local coding guidance.
FAQ
What is the ICD-10 code for pancreatitis?
There is no single code. Acute disease uses K85.xx; chronic uses K86.0 or K86.1 (and related K86 codes). (icd10data K85; K86)
Is K85 billable by itself?
No. K85 is a non-billable parent. You need a more specific code with the 5th/6th character for etiology and necrosis/infection. See Acute pancreatitis ICD-10.
What is the ICD-10 for chronic pancreatitis?
K86.1 (other chronic pancreatitis) or K86.0 (alcohol-induced chronic pancreatitis), depending on documentation. See Chronic pancreatitis ICD-10.
How do you code acute-on-chronic pancreatitis?
When separate index entries exist for acute and chronic, code both and sequence the acute code first (FY2026 §I.B.8). Confirm with your coder and the official guidelines.
Do these codes apply outside the United States?
This page describes US ICD-10-CM. Other countries may use ICD-10 WHO or national modifications with different detail.
See also: Acute pancreatitis ICD-10 · Chronic pancreatitis ICD-10 · Acute pancreatitis · Chronic pancreatitis · Necrotizing pancreatitis
Last editorial check: 4 September 2026. Not medically reviewed by a clinician. Coding reference only.