T71.11UpcomingCategory · further specificity required

Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow

Chapters 19 · Inherited instructions

Use additional code

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

T66-T78 · Inherited instructions

Code also

, 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-)

T71 · Inherited instructions

Excludes 1

acute respiratory distress (syndrome) (J80)
anoxia due to high altitude (T70.2)
asphyxia NOS (R09.01)
asphyxia from carbon monoxide (T58.-)
asphyxia from inhalation of food or foreign body (T17.-)
asphyxia from other gases, fumes and vapors (T59.-)
respiratory distress (syndrome) in newborn (P22.-)

A — initial encounter

D — subsequent encounter

S — sequela

Excludes 2 · 2

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

Excludes 2

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

More specific codes

T71.111Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, accidental T71.112Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, intentional self-harm T71.113Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, assault T71.114Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, undetermined

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 · FY2026 · April

ChangedUnchanged

FY2026 · April

Effective from 2026-04-01

Inherited rules changed

Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow

Category — select a more specific code

CDC/NCHS · FY2026 · April

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	No tabular change
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	Inherited rules changed
FY2027	2026-10-01	No tabular change

Code-level instructions

The official Tabular List has no additional instructions at this code level.

Review the instructions inherited from its parent categories below. Inherited instructions ↓

Review the official coding guidelines ↗

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.

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

Code also

, 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-)

T71 · Asphyxiation

Inclusion terms

Mechanical suffocation
Traumatic suffocation

Excludes 1

acute respiratory distress (syndrome) (J80)
anoxia due to high altitude (T70.2)
asphyxia NOS (R09.01)
asphyxia from carbon monoxide (T58.-)
asphyxia from inhalation of food or foreign body (T17.-)
asphyxia from other gases, fumes and vapors (T59.-)
respiratory distress (syndrome) in newborn (P22.-)

Seventh character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T71

A — initial encounter

D — subsequent encounter

S — sequela

T71.1 · Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing

Inclusion terms

Suffocation due to mechanical threat to breathing

More specific codes

T71.111Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, accidentalCategory · further specificity required T71.112Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, intentional self-harmCategory · further specificity required T71.113Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, assaultCategory · further specificity required T71.114Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, undeterminedCategory · further specificity required

Related codes

Other entries in the same category; these are not automatic substitutes.

Code	Description	Category · further specificity required
T71.12	Asphyxiation due to plastic bag	Category · further specificity required
T71.13	Asphyxiation due to being trapped in bed linens	Category · further specificity required
T71.14	Asphyxiation due to smothering under another person's body (in bed)	Category · further specificity required
T71.15	Asphyxiation due to smothering in furniture	Category · further specificity required
T71.16	Asphyxiation due to hanging	Category · further specificity required
T71.19	Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing due to other causes	Category · further specificity required

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

T71.11UpcomingCategory · further specificity required

Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow

Chapters 19 · Inherited instructions

Use additional code

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

T66-T78 · Inherited instructions

Code also

, 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-)

T71 · Inherited instructions

Excludes 1

acute respiratory distress (syndrome) (J80)
anoxia due to high altitude (T70.2)
asphyxia NOS (R09.01)
asphyxia from carbon monoxide (T58.-)
asphyxia from inhalation of food or foreign body (T17.-)
asphyxia from other gases, fumes and vapors (T59.-)
respiratory distress (syndrome) in newborn (P22.-)

A — initial encounter

D — subsequent encounter

S — sequela

Excludes 2 · 2

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

Excludes 2

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

More specific codes

Claims & coverage

When ICD-10-CM is required

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

Official coding guidelines → · CMS ↗

First observed · 2015-10-01

Code history

Latest recorded change · FY2026 · April

ChangedUnchanged

FY2026 · April

Effective from 2026-04-01

Inherited rules changed

Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow

Category — select a more specific code

CDC/NCHS · FY2026 · April

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	No tabular change
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	Inherited rules changed
FY2027	2026-10-01	No tabular change

Code-level instructions

The official Tabular List has no additional instructions at this code level.

Review the instructions inherited from its parent categories below. Inherited instructions ↓

Review the official coding guidelines ↗

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.

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

Code also

, 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-)

T71 · Asphyxiation

Inclusion terms

Mechanical suffocation
Traumatic suffocation

Excludes 1

acute respiratory distress (syndrome) (J80)
anoxia due to high altitude (T70.2)
asphyxia NOS (R09.01)
asphyxia from carbon monoxide (T58.-)
asphyxia from inhalation of food or foreign body (T17.-)
asphyxia from other gases, fumes and vapors (T59.-)
respiratory distress (syndrome) in newborn (P22.-)

Seventh character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T71

A — initial encounter

D — subsequent encounter

S — sequela

T71.1 · Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing

Inclusion terms

Suffocation due to mechanical threat to breathing

More specific codes

Related codes

Other entries in the same category; these are not automatic substitutes.

Code	Description	Category · further specificity required
T71.12	Asphyxiation due to plastic bag	Category · further specificity required
T71.13	Asphyxiation due to being trapped in bed linens	Category · further specificity required
T71.14	Asphyxiation due to smothering under another person's body (in bed)	Category · further specificity required
T71.15	Asphyxiation due to smothering in furniture	Category · further specificity required
T71.16	Asphyxiation due to hanging	Category · further specificity required
T71.19	Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing due to other causes	Category · further specificity required

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