2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code T81.539SPerforation due to foreign body accidentally left in body following unspecified procedure, sequela
T81.539S is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for perforation due to foreign body accidentally left in body following unspecified procedure, sequela. The 7th character S marks it as a sequela code, which reports a problem that remains after the original condition has resolved. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 922 through 923. The code is exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as foreign body accidentally left during a procedure. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Complication, sequela.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
T81.539S is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Foreign body accidentally left during a procedure
- Foreign body accidentally left within patient postoperatively
- Perforation due to foreign body accidentally left in operative wound AND/OR body cavity during a procedure
- Perforation resulting from foreign body left postoperatively
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
Foreign Bodies
If you've ever gotten a splinter or had sand in your eye, you've had experience with a foreign body. A foreign body is something that is stuck inside you but isn't supposed to be there. You may inhale or swallow a foreign body, or you may get one from an injury to almost any part of your body.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert T81.539S to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About T81.539SOverview
Is T81.539S a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report perforation due to foreign body accidentally left in body following unspecified procedure, sequela on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character S in T81.539S mean?
The final character S makes this a sequela code: it reports a lingering problem that remains after the perforation due to foreign body accidentally left in body following unspecified procedure itself has resolved, not the original event.
What MS-DRG does T81.539S group to?
When perforation due to foreign body accidentally left in body following unspecified procedure, sequela is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 922, 923, with relative weights from 1.0177 to 1.7494 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is T81.539S exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for perforation due to foreign body accidentally left in body following unspecified procedure, sequela on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of T81.539S?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, perforation due to foreign body accidentally left in body following unspecified procedure, sequela converts to ICD-9-CM 909.3 (late eff surg/med compl). 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.
