K26 — Duodenal ulcer
Is K26 billable?
No — K26 is a non-billable header code. K26 groups more specific codes and cannot be submitted on a claim. A valid ICD-10-CM code must be reported at the highest level of specificity available in its branch. Select one of the 9 billable codes beneath K26.
Billable codes under this header
- K26.0Acute duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage
- K26.1Acute duodenal ulcer with perforation
- K26.2Acute duodenal ulcer with both hemorrhage and perforation
- K26.3Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation
- K26.4Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage
- K26.5Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with perforation
- K26.6Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with both hemorrhage and perforation
- K26.7Chronic duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation
- K26.9Duodenal ulcer, unspecified as acute or chronic, without hemorrhage or perforation
K26 at a glance
| Code | K26 |
|---|---|
| Description | Duodenal ulcer |
| Billable | No — header code |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Excludes1 — never code together
The conditions below can never be reported together with K26 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- peptic ulcer NOS (K27.-)
Use additional code
Report an additional code alongside K26 to fully describe the condition. K26 is sequenced first.
- code to identify:
- alcohol abuse and dependence (F10.-)
Includes
Conditions classified to K26.
- erosion (acute) of duodenum
- duodenum ulcer (peptic)
- postpyloric ulcer (peptic)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 11
The conditions below are not part of K26, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, K26 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- 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)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from K20-K31
The conditions below are not part of K26, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, K26 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- hiatus hernia (K44.-)
What codes fall under K26? (9)
- K26.0Acute duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage
- K26.1Acute duodenal ulcer with perforation
- K26.2Acute duodenal ulcer with both hemorrhage and perforation
- K26.3Acute duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation
- K26.4Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with hemorrhage
- K26.5Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with perforation
- K26.6Chronic or unspecified duodenal ulcer with both hemorrhage and perforation
- K26.7Chronic duodenal ulcer without hemorrhage or perforation
- K26.9Duodenal ulcer, unspecified as acute or chronic, without hemorrhage or perforation
How long has K26 existed?
K26 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.
Which codes are confused with K26?
ICD-10-CM declares these codes mutually exclusive with K26 — exactly one of each pair can be correct for a given encounter.