2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code T81.518AAdhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following other procedure, initial encounter
T81.518A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following other procedure, initial encounter. The 7th character A marks it as an initial encounter code, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 919 through 921. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Complication of other surgical or medical care, injury, initial encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified (T81). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2026, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Adhesions
Adhesions are bands of scar-like tissue. Normally, internal tissues and organs have slippery surfaces so they can shift easily as the body moves. Adhesions cause tissues and organs to stick together. They might connect the loops of the intestines to each other, to nearby organs, or to the wall of the abdomen.
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Convert T81.518A to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About T81.518AOverview
Is T81.518A a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following other procedure, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character A in T81.518A mean?
The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following other procedure, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.
What MS-DRG does T81.518A group to?
When adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following other procedure, initial encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 919, 920, 921, with relative weights from 0.6884 to 1.8308 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of T81.518A?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following other procedure, initial encounter converts to ICD-9-CM 998.4 (FB left during procedure). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
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.
