R15.9 - Full incontinence of feces

Version 2023
No Valid Principal Dx
ICD-10:R15.9
Short Description:Full incontinence of feces
Long Description:Full incontinence of feces
Status: Valid for Submission
Version:ICD-10-CM 2023
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 ICD-10 code used to specify a medical diagnosis of full incontinence of feces. The code is valid during the fiscal year 2023 from October 01, 2022 through September 30, 2023 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions.

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:

Clinical Information

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

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


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.

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

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

Convert to ICD-9 Code

Source ICD-10 CodeTarget ICD-9 Code
R15.9787.60 - 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:

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