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T81.511A vs T81.511S

T81.511A (Adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion, initial encounter) compared with T81.511S (Adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion, sequela), from the official CMS tabular data. T81.511A and T81.511S code the same injury at a different phase of treatment.

Can these codes be reported together?

Same injury, other encounter phase. T81.511A and T81.511S code the same injury at a different phase of treatment, set by the 7th character.

The 7th character records the type of care given at the encounter being coded (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.C.19.a), so one encounter takes one of these, not both.

Side by side

T81.511AAdhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion, initial encounterT81.511SAdhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion, sequela
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationS00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88)S00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88)
DefinitionAdhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (T81.511A).Adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion, sequela is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (T81.511S).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T81The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T81
Use additional code
code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5)
code(s) to identify the specified condition resulting from the complication
code to identify devices involved and details of circumstances (Y62-Y82)
code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5)
code(s) to identify the specified condition resulting from the complication
code to identify devices involved and details of circumstances (Y62-Y82)

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources