Is T81.7 a billable ICD-10-CM code?

No. T81.7 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.

Where does T81.7 sit in the tabular list?

Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified (T80-T88).

What cannot be coded together with T81.7?

T81.7 carries Excludes1 notes, which means the conditions they list can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.

T81.7

T81.7 — Vascular complications following a procedure, not elsewhere classified

Non-billable headerICD-10-CM

T81.7 is a non-billable header ICD-10-CM code for vascular complications following a procedure, not elsewhere classified. It cannot be billed on its own: choose one of the more specific child codes below. This code also requires a 7th character before it is complete.

This code requires a 7th character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T81

A: initial encounter
D: subsequent encounter
S: sequela

Excludes1 — never code together

These conditions cannot occur together. Billing both on the same encounter is a denial.

embolism complicating abortion or ectopic or molar pregnancy (O00-O07, O08.2)
embolism complicating pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O88.-)
traumatic embolism (T79.0)

Excludes2 — not included here, but may coexist

The excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient can have both. You may code both.

embolism due to prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82.8-, T83.81, T84.8-, T85.81-)
embolism following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection (T80.0)

Inclusion terms

Alternative wordings a physician may use in the chart for this same code.

Air embolism following procedure NEC
Phlebitis or thrombophlebitis resulting from a procedure

Excludes2 inherited from the categories above T81.7

Also inherited, and the opposite of Excludes1: these conditions are not part of T81.7, but a patient can have both, so you may code both.

Written on T81 — Complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified

complications following immunization (T88.0-T88.1)
complications following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection (T80.-)
complications of transplanted organs and tissue (T86.-)
specified complications classified elsewhere, such as:
complication of prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82-T85)
dermatitis due to drugs and medicaments (L23.3, L24.4, L25.1, L27.0-L27.1)
endosseous dental implant failure (M27.6-)
floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) (intraoperative) H21.81
intraoperative and postprocedural complications of specific body system (D78.-, E36.-, E89.-, G97.3-, G97.4, H59.3-, H59.-, H95.2-, H95.3, I97.4-, I97.5, J95, K91.-, L76.-, M96.-, N99.-)
ostomy complications (J95.0-, K94.-, N99.5-)
plateau iris syndrome (post-iridectomy) (postprocedural) H21.82
poisoning and toxic effects of drugs and chemicals (T36-T65 with fifth or sixth character 1-4)

Other codes that can never be billed with T81.7

These codes carry an Excludes1 note pointing at T81.7. The conflict binds both ways, but ICD-10-CM only writes it down on one side — so you would not find this by reading T81.7 alone.

T79.0Air embolism (traumatic)
T79.0XXAAir embolism (traumatic), initial encounter
T79.0XXDAir embolism (traumatic), subsequent encounter
T79.0XXSAir embolism (traumatic), sequela

Risk adjustment

T81.7 does not map to an HCC and does not risk-adjust under CMS-HCC V28. That is normal — most ICD-10 codes do not. It still needs to be coded correctly; it just will not move a RAF score.

Code history

T81.7 has not changed since FY2024 — no addition, revision or deletion across the three most recent ICD-10-CM releases.

Code to one of these instead T81.7

2 child codes. Green means billable.

Related codes at this level

Codes that share T81. If T81.7 is not quite right, the correct code is usually one of these.

Questions about T81.7

Is T81.7 a billable ICD-10-CM code?: No. T81.7 is a non-billable header code. Code to a higher level of specificity using one of its child codes.
Where does T81.7 sit in the tabular list?: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), in the block Complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified (T80-T88).
What cannot be coded together with T81.7?: T81.7 carries Excludes1 notes, which means the conditions they list can never be coded together with it on the same encounter.