Ulcerative colitis, unspecified with intestinal obstruction

This code describes a form of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by chronic inflammation and ulceration of the colon, where the specific type of ulcerative colitis is not documented. A key feature of this particular diagnosis is the presence of an intestinal obstruction as a complication.

Use this code when documentation specifies ulcerative colitis without further detail on its extent or severity, and explicitly states the patient also has an intestinal obstruction. This code is appropriate when the provider has not specified the exact anatomical location or clinical subtype of the ulcerative colitis.

• Ensure documentation clearly links the intestinal obstruction as a complication of the ulcerative colitis.
• Avoid using this code if the type of ulcerative colitis (e.g., pancolitis, proctitis) is specified; use a more specific code from the K51.1-K51.8 series.
• Consider sequencing if the intestinal obstruction is the primary reason for the encounter or if another condition is more acutely managed.