Peritonsillar abscess
Billable / specific
J36 is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes in FY2027.
Inclusion terms
Includes
- abscess of tonsil
- peritonsillar cellulitis
- quinsy
- 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).
Excludes1
Not coded here — never report together with this code.
Excludes2
Not included here — may be reported together when both conditions exist.
- 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
Add a code to identify the following, if applicable.
- 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)
- code (B95-B97) to identify infectious agent.
Also known as
- Abscess, circumtonsillar
- Abscess, intratonsillar
- Abscess, lingual, tonsil
- Abscess, peritonsillar
- Abscess, posttonsillar
- Abscess, tonsil
- Abscess, tonsillopharyngeal
- Angina, phlegmonous
- Angina, tonsil
- Cellulitis, peritonsillar
- Cellulitis, tonsil
- Cynanche, tonsillaris
- Gangrene, gangrenous, quinsy
- Hemorrhage, hemorrhagic, peritonsillar tissue, due to infection
- Peritonsillitis
Related codes
- J30Vasomotor and allergic rhinitisHeader
- J31Chronic rhinitis, nasopharyngitis and pharyngitisHeader
- J32Chronic sinusitisHeader
- J33Nasal polypHeader
- J34Other and unspecified disorders of nose and nasal sinusesHeader
- J35Chronic diseases of tonsils and adenoidsHeader
- J37Chronic laryngitis and laryngotracheitisHeader
- J38Diseases of vocal cords and larynx, not elsewhere classifiedHeader
- J39Other diseases of upper respiratory tractHeader