1. Home
  2. ICD-10-CM Codes
  3. R00–R99
  4. R10-R19
  5. R15
  6. 2024 ICD-10-CM Code R15.9
Version 2024
Billable Code
No Valid Principal Dx
MS-DRG Mapping
Convert to ICD-9

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R15.9

Full incontinence of feces

ICD-10-CM Code:
R15.9
ICD-10 Code for:
Full incontinence of feces
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
    (R00–R99)
    • Symptoms and signs involving the digestive system and abdomen
      (R10-R19)
      • Fecal incontinence
        (R15)

R15.9 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of full incontinence of feces. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

According to ICD-10-CM guidelines this code should not to be used as a principal diagnosis code when a related definitive diagnosis has been established.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Abnormal defecation
  • Abnormal defecation
  • Abnormal defecation
  • Alteration in bowel elimination
  • Alteration in bowel elimination
  • Alteration in bowel elimination
  • Bladder control - finding
  • Bladder control - finding
  • Bowels: occasional accident
  • Childhood double incontinence
  • Complete fecal incontinence
  • Desire for stool finding
  • Digestive symptom
  • Double incontinence
  • Double incontinence
  • Encopresis
  • Encopresis
  • Encopresis
  • Encopresis with constipation AND overflow incontinence
  • Fecal fluid leakage
  • Fecal incontinence due to anorectal disorder
  • Fecal incontinence following creation of ileo-anal pouch
  • Finding related to awareness of bowel function
  • Finding related to awareness of bowel function
  • Finding related to awareness of bowel function
  • Frequent fecal incontinence
  • Functional fecal incontinence
  • Idiopathic fecal incontinence
  • Incontinence of feces
  • Integrity of anal sphincter - finding
  • Lacking desire for stool
  • Loss of awareness of need for stool
  • Neuromyopathic fecal incontinence
  • Non-retentive fecal incontinence
  • Primary organic encopresis
  • Secondary organic encopresis
  • Soiling
  • Soiling symptom
  • Sphincter ani incontinence
  • Spurious diarrhea - overflow
  • Spurious diarrhea - overflow
  • Unable to distinguish stool and flatus
  • Unaware of passing feces

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Encopresis

    incontinence of feces not due to organic defect or illness.

  • Encopresis

    an elimination disorder characterized by fecal incontinence, whether involuntary or intentional, which is not due to a medical condition and which occurs in someone who is toilet trained.

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Inclusion Terms

Inclusion Terms
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
  • Fecal incontinence NOS

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Convert R15.9 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 787.60 - Full incontinence-feces

Patient Education


Bowel Incontinence

Bowel incontinence is the inability to control your bowels. When you feel the urge to have a bowel movement, you may not be able to hold it until you get to a toilet. Millions of Americans have this problem. It affects people of all ages - children and adults. It is more common in women and older adults. It is not a normal part of aging.

Causes include:

  • Constipation
  • Damage to muscles or nerves of the anus and rectum
  • Diarrhea
  • Pelvic floor disorders

Treatments include changes in diet, medicines, bowel training, or surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.