H04.422 Chronic lacrimal canaliculitis of left lacrimal passage

ICD-10-CM Code H04.422: Chronic lacrimal canaliculitis of left lacrimal passage

ICD-10-CM code H04.422 designates chronic lacrimal canaliculitis of the left lacrimal passage as a disease or syndrome. The terminology is active for the 2026 version and is narrower than the parent concept for chronic lacrimal canaliculitis. Clinical literature notes frequent misdiagnosis of lacrimal canaliculitis. 1 2 3

Plain-language overview

Code H04.422 identifies a disease or syndrome known as chronic lacrimal canaliculitis of the left lacrimal passage, providing a specific diagnostic label for this particular health condition. 1 3

What this code represents

The diagnostic concept H04.422 is an active terminology record for the 2026 ICD-10-CM version that represents chronic lacrimal canaliculitis specifically affecting the left lacrimal passage. 1

Within the terminology hierarchy, H04.422 is a narrower concept under the parent code H04.42, which broadly covers chronic lacrimal canaliculitis without specifying laterality. 1

Clinical context

Clinical literature indicates that lacrimal canaliculitis constitutes two percent of lacrimal pathologies and is one of the most misdiagnosed medical disorders, with misdiagnosis rates ranging from 33 to 100 percent. 2

Prominent local features pointing specifically toward lacrimal canaliculitis include pouting of the punctum, yellowish hue or discoloration of the canalicular region, and localized hyperemia. 2

Documentation considerations

The diagnosis of lacrimal canaliculitis is principally clinical, meaning documentation relies primarily on clinical evaluation rather than solely on investigating tools like high-resolution ultrasound. 2

What the sources add

While the terminology record establishes the formal code definition and hierarchy, the clinical article adds operational context by describing the high rates of misdiagnosis and the specific physical signs associated with the condition. 1 2

Both official terminology sources confirm the semantic type as a disease or syndrome and list the preferred name as chronic lacrimal canaliculitis of left lacrimal passage, ensuring consistent vocabulary across systems. 1 3

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM H04.422 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Primary lacrimal canaliculitis – A clinical entity often misdiagnosed — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.