Hypertrophy of tonsils

This code represents an enlargement or overgrowth of the tonsils, typically the palatine tonsils, without evidence of acute inflammation or infection. This hypertrophy can lead to various symptoms due to obstruction of the airway or difficulty swallowing.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates enlarged tonsils as a primary finding, without an associated diagnosis of tonsillitis. This is often seen in chronic cases where the tonsils are persistently enlarged. Documentation should specify "hypertrophy of tonsils" or "enlarged tonsils" without mention of inflammation.

• Do not use this code if tonsillitis is also documented; instead, use a code from J35.0- (Chronic tonsillitis and adenoiditis).
• Ensure the documentation specifies hypertrophy and not just "enlarged" if an inflammatory process is also present.
• Consider if adenoid hypertrophy (J35.2) is also present and should be coded concurrently.