2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code T88.51XSHypothermia following anesthesia, sequela
T88.51XS is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for hypothermia following anesthesia, 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 hypothermia. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Complication, sequela.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
T88.51XS 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.
- Hypothermia
- Hypothermia caused by anesthetic
- Hypothermia not associated with low environmental temperature
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified (T88). 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
Anesthesia
Anesthesia is the use of medicines, called anesthetics, to prevent pain during surgery and other medical procedures. Medicine may be given by injection, inhalation, topical lotion, spray, eye drops, or a skin patch.
The full article covers:
- What is anesthesia?
- What is anesthesia used for?
- What are the types of anesthesia?
- What are the risks of anesthesia?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert T88.51XS to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About T88.51XSOverview
Is T88.51XS (Hypothermia following anesthesia) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report hypothermia following anesthesia, sequela on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character S in T88.51XS mean?
The final character S makes this a sequela code: it reports a lingering problem that remains after the hypothermia following anesthesia itself has resolved, not the original event.
What MS-DRG does T88.51XS group to?
When hypothermia following anesthesia, 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 T88.51XS 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 hypothermia following anesthesia, sequela on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of T88.51XS?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, hypothermia following anesthesia, 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.
