Gastric contents in esophagus causing oth injury, subs

This code signifies an injury to the esophagus resulting from the presence of gastric contents, such as stomach acid or food, during a follow-up visit. It indicates that the initial event of gastric content aspiration or reflux has already occurred, and the patient is now receiving ongoing care for the resulting esophageal damage.

Apply this code when a patient presents for subsequent treatment or evaluation of esophageal injury caused by gastric contents. This includes follow-up appointments for esophagitis, stricture formation, or other complications directly attributable to the initial aspiration or reflux event. It is appropriate for ongoing management after the acute phase.

• Always use in conjunction with an external cause code (V00-Y99) to describe the circumstances of the initial event, if known.
• Ensure documentation clearly specifies the esophageal injury is a direct result of gastric contents and that this is a subsequent encounter.
• Do not use for initial encounters; refer to the appropriate "initial encounter" code for the first presentation of the injury.