T88.4 Failed or difficult intubation

The ICD-10-CM code for Failed or difficult intubation is T88.4 (FY2026). It is a billable, claim-ready diagnosis code.

Classification

Chapter

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

Section

T80-T88: Complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified (T80-T88)

Category T88

15 codes (13 billable)

FY2026 Status

Stable since FY2024

Also Known As

ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index entries that lead to T88.4:

• Intubation, difficult or failed
• Difficult, difficulty (in) › intubation, in anesthesia
• Failure, failed › intubation during anesthesia
• Complication (s) (from) (of) › anesthesia, anesthetic › difficult or failed intubation
• Complication (s) (from) (of) › anesthesia, anesthetic › intubation failure

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