T71.9 Asphyxiation due to unspecified cause

The ICD-10-CM code for Asphyxiation due to unspecified cause is T71.9 (FY2026). It is a billable, claim-ready diagnosis code.

Classification

Chapter

19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)

Section

T66-T78: Other and unspecified effects of external causes (T66-T78)

Category T71

51 codes (39 billable)

FY2026 Status

Stable since FY2024

Also Known As

ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index entries that lead to T71.9:

• Asphyxia, asphyxiation (by) › traumatic

Inclusion Terms

• 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

Official Coding Guidelines

Sequence blood vessel/nerve injury first (fragment)

injury is to the blood vessels or nerves, that injury should be sequenced first.

Do not assign injury codes for iatrogenic injuries; code complication

3) Iatrogenic injuries Injury codes from Chapter 19 should not be assigned for injuries that occur during, or as a result of, a medical intervention. Assign the appropriate complication code(s).

Source: CMS — ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY2026

References

• CMS — ICD-10-CM Official Code Set and Guidelines, FY2026
• CDC/NCHS — ICD-10-CM Files and Browser Tool

Cite This Page

Reference T71.9 with the canonical source and edition:

T71.9 — Asphyxiation due to unspecified cause. ICD-10 Coding Pro (ICD-10-CM FY2026). https://icd10codingpro.com/codes/T71.9

Canonical URL: https://icd10codingpro.com/codes/T71.9