T71.9 — Asphyxiation due to unspecified cause
Is T71.9 billable?
No — T71.9 is a non-billable header code. T71.9 groups more specific codes and cannot be submitted on a claim. A valid ICD-10-CM code must be reported at the highest level of specificity available in its branch. Select one of the 3 billable codes beneath T71.9.
T71.9 at a glance
| Code | T71.9 |
|---|---|
| Description | Asphyxiation due to unspecified cause |
| Billable | No — header code |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
How is T71.9 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to T71.9. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.
- Asphyxia, asphyxiation › traumatic (by)
How is T71.9 listed in the External Cause Index?
The External Cause of Injuries Index lists these routes under T71, the nearest indexed parent of T71.9. This is a separate index from the Alphabetic Index and is where external cause codes are looked up.
- Suffocation (accidental) (by external means) (by pressure) (mechanical)
Inclusion terms
Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to T71.9.
- Suffocation (by strangulation) due to unspecified cause
- Suffocation NOS
- Systemic oxygen deficiency due to low oxygen content in ambient air due to unspecified cause
- Systemic oxygen deficiency due to mechanical threat to breathing due to unspecified cause
- Traumatic asphyxia NOS
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from T71
The conditions below can never be reported together with T71.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 19
Report an additional code alongside T71.9 to fully describe the condition. T71.9 is sequenced first.
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 19
The conditions below are not part of T71.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, T71.9 and the excluded code may both be reported.
Code also — inherited from T66-T78
Two codes may be needed to describe the condition fully. Whether T71.9 is sequenced first depends on the reason for the encounter.
- , if applicable, place of occurrence, such as:
- highway rest stop (Y92.523)
- school (private) (public) (state) as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.21-)
- service areas as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.52-)
- single-family non-institutional (private) house as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.01-)
- transport vehicle as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.81-)
What codes fall under T71.9? (3)
How long has T71.9 existed?
T71.9 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.