K22.3: Perforation of oesophagus
Your gullet is torn.
The oesophagus or gullet connects the mouth with the stomach. It is a muscular tube. The muscles in the oesophagus move food into the stomach.
The gullet can tear or even tear completely in two at one site. This can result in bleeding and you may spit or vomit blood. You may also have severe pain or shortness of breath. In addition, you may become unconscious. If the gullet has a small tear or is torn in two, air, liquids and food from the gullet gets into the ribcage. The ribcage can thus become very severely inflamed and pathogens may get into the ribcage. This can be life-threatening. Air may also accumulate in your ribcage or under the skin. Air does not belong in these sites.
There are various reasons for the gullet to have a small tear or be torn in two. For example, it may happen suddenly and without prior symptoms if you have severe vomiting. The gullet may also tear if it was damaged by a severe inflammation or new tissue.
Additional indicator
On medical documents, the ICD code is often appended by letters that indicate the diagnostic certainty or the affected side of the body.
- G: Confirmed diagnosis
- V: Tentative diagnosis
- Z: Condition after
- A: Excluded diagnosis
- L: Left
- R: Right
- B: Both sides
Further information
Note
This information is not intended for self-diagnosis and does not replace professional medical advice from a doctor. If you find an ICD code on a personal medical document, please also note the additional indicator used for diagnostic confidence.Your doctor will assist you with any health-related questions and explain the ICD diagnosis code to you in a direct consultation if necessary.
Source
Provided by the non-profit organization “Was hab’ ich?” gemeinnützige GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG).