T18UpcomingCategory · further specificity required

Foreign body in alimentary tract

Code-level instructions

A — initial encounter

D — subsequent encounter

S — sequela

Chapters 19 · Inherited instructions

Use additional code

code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

T15-T19 · Inherited instructions

Use additional code

code, if known, for foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice (W44.-)

Excludes 2 · 7

T18

Excludes 2

foreign body in pharynx (T17.2-)

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

Excludes 2

birth trauma (P10-P15)
obstetric trauma (O70-O71)

T15-T19 · Effects of foreign body entering through natural orifice (T15-T19)

Excludes 2

foreign body accidentally left in operation wound (T81.5-)
foreign body in penetrating wound - See open wound by body region
residual foreign body in soft tissue (M79.5)
splinter, without open wound - See superficial injury by body region

More specific codes

T18.0Foreign body in mouth T18.1Foreign body in esophagus T18.2Foreign body in stomach T18.3Foreign body in small intestine T18.4Foreign body in colon T18.5Foreign body in anus and rectum T18.8Foreign body in other parts of alimentary tract T18.9Foreign body of alimentary tract, part unspecified

Claims & coverage

When ICD-10-CM is required

For US diagnosis claims covered by HIPAA, ICD-10-CM is required from October 1, 2015.

Use the service date for outpatient/professional claims and the discharge date for hospital inpatient claims. Earlier encounters use ICD-9-CM; each individual code must also be valid for the applicable date.

Official coding guidelines → · CMS ↗

First observed · 2015-10-01

Code history

Latest recorded change · FY2025 · 04-01

ChangedUnchanged

FY2025 · 04-01

Effective from 2025-04-01

Inherited rules changed

Foreign body in alimentary tract

Category — select a more specific code

CDC/NCHS · FY2025 · 04-01

All editions (19)

All editions	Effective from	Code history
FY2016	2015-10-01	First observed
FY2017	2016-10-01	No tabular change
FY2018	2017-10-01	No tabular change
FY2019	2018-10-01	No tabular change
FY2020	2019-10-01	No tabular change
FY2020 · April	2020-04-01	No tabular change
FY2021	2020-10-01	No tabular change
FY2021 · 01-01	2021-01-01	No tabular change
FY2022	2021-10-01	No tabular change
FY2022 · 04-01	2022-04-01	No tabular change
FY2023	2022-10-01	No tabular change
FY2023 · 04-01	2023-04-01	No tabular change
FY2024	2023-10-01	Inherited rules changed
FY2024 · 04-01	2024-04-01	No tabular change
FY2025	2024-10-01	No tabular change
FY2025 · 04-01	2025-04-01	Inherited rules changed
FY2026	2025-10-01	No tabular change
FY2026 · April	2026-04-01	No tabular change
FY2027	2026-10-01	No tabular change

Code-level instructions

Excludes 2

foreign body in pharynx (T17.2-)

Seventh character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T18

A — initial encounter

D — subsequent encounter

S — sequela

Inherited instructions

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

Excludes 2

birth trauma (P10-P15)
obstetric trauma (O70-O71)

Use additional code

code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

Note

Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

T15-T19 · Effects of foreign body entering through natural orifice (T15-T19)

Excludes 2

foreign body accidentally left in operation wound (T81.5-)
foreign body in penetrating wound - See open wound by body region
residual foreign body in soft tissue (M79.5)
splinter, without open wound - See superficial injury by body region

Use additional code

code, if known, for foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice (W44.-)

More specific codes

Official index references (6)

Asphyxia, asphyxiation (1)

Asphyxia, asphyxiation › by › food(bone) (seed)External causes

Aspiration (1)

Aspiration › food(any type) (into respiratory tract) (with asphyxia, obstruction respiratory tract, suffocation)External causes

Choked, choking(on) (any object except food or vomitus) (1)

Choked, choking(on) (any object except food or vomitus) › food(bone) (seed)External causes

Compression (1)

Compression › trachea by › food(lodged in esophagus)External causes

Food(any type) in (2)

Food(any type) in › air passages(with asphyxia, obstruction, or suffocation)External causes
Food(any type) in › alimentary tract causing asphyxia(due to compression of trachea)External causes

Related codes

Official titles and instructions are preserved in their source language. Official sources ↗

References from other codes (1)

Z03.82 · Encounter for observation for suspected foreign body ruled out

Excludes 2 · foreign body in alimentary tract (T18)