ICD-10 Code for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Also searched as brain injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is classified to S06.9- — Unspecified intracranial injury. S06.9 is a header code and cannot be billed; choose one of the 11 more specific codes beneath it. Valid for FY2027.
Traumatic brain injury ICD-10 codes at a glance
| Condition | Traumatic brain injury (TBI) |
|---|---|
| Code | S06.9- — Unspecified intracranial injury |
| Billable | No — S06.9 is a header; use a code beneath it |
| Alphabetic Index entry | Injury, brain |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027, valid October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which traumatic brain injury code should you use? (11)
S06.9 is a header code. These are the codes beneath it that can be reported once a 7th character is added:
- S06.9X0-Unspecified intracranial injury without loss of consciousness+ 7th character
- S06.9X1-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness of 30 minutes or less+ 7th character
- S06.9X2-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness of 31 minutes to 59 minutes+ 7th character
- S06.9X3-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness of 1 hour to 5 hours 59 minutes+ 7th character
- S06.9X4-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness of 6 hours to 24 hours+ 7th character
- S06.9X5-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness greater than 24 hours with return to pre-existing conscious level+ 7th character
- S06.9X6-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness greater than 24 hours without return to pre-existing conscious level with patient surviving+ 7th character
- S06.9X7-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness of any duration with death due to brain injury prior to regaining consciousness+ 7th character
- S06.9X8-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness of any duration with death due to other cause prior to regaining consciousness+ 7th character
- S06.9XA-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness status unknown+ 7th character
- S06.9X9-Unspecified intracranial injury with loss of consciousness of unspecified duration+ 7th character
Which 7th character does a traumatic brain injury code need?
Every traumatic brain injury code requires a 7th character describing the encounter. For S06.9X0- the options are:
Not every code accepts every character — the classification restricts some. Check the code’s own page before reporting it.
What changes the traumatic brain injury code?
The Alphabetic Index lists these qualifiers under Injury, brain. If the record documents one of them, the code changes. Verify the code in the Tabular List before reporting it.
What does the Tabular List say about S06.9?
The instructional notes that govern S06.9-, including those it inherits from its category and chapter. An Excludes1 note means the two codes are never reported together.
Excludes1 — never code together
The conditions below can never be reported together with S06.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
Inclusion terms
Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to S06.9.
- Brain injury NOS
- Head injury NOS with loss of consciousness
- Traumatic brain injury NOS
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from S06
The conditions below can never be reported together with S06.9 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- head injury NOS (S09.90)
Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 19
Report an additional code alongside S06.9 to fully describe the condition. S06.9 is sequenced first.
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Use additional code — inherited from S06
Report an additional code alongside S06.9 to fully describe the condition. S06.9 is sequenced first.
- code, if applicable, to identify mild neurocognitive disorders due to known physiological condition (F06.7-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 19
The conditions below are not part of S06.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, S06.9 and the excluded code may both be reported.
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from S00-S09
The conditions below are not part of S06.9, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, S06.9 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
- effects of foreign body in ear (T16)
- effects of foreign body in larynx (T17.3)
- effects of foreign body in mouth NOS (T18.0)
- effects of foreign body in nose (T17.0-T17.1)
- effects of foreign body in pharynx (T17.2)
- effects of foreign body on external eye (T15.-)
- frostbite (T33-T34)
- insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)
Code also — inherited from S00-S09
Two codes may be needed to describe the condition fully. Whether S06.9 is sequenced first depends on the reason for the encounter.
- for any associated infection
Code also — inherited from S06
Two codes may be needed to describe the condition fully. Whether S06.9 is sequenced first depends on the reason for the encounter.
Codes, descriptions and Index entries are from the official ICD-10-CM FY2027 release. Guideline text is quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting FY 2027. A code must always be verified in the Tabular List before it is reported. Data sources