ICD-10-CM · Chapter 19 · S00-T88
T71 Asphyxiation
Includes
- Mechanical suffocation
- Traumatic suffocation
Excludes 1 (cannot be coded together)
- acute respiratory distress (syndrome) (J80)
- anoxia due to high altitude (T70.2)
- asphyxia NOS (R09.01)
- asphyxia from carbon monoxide (T58.-)
- asphyxia from inhalation of food or foreign body (T17.-)
- asphyxia from other gases, fumes and vapors (T59.-)
- respiratory distress (syndrome) in newborn (P22.-)
Subcodes
Subcodes are listed below for reference. Detail pages are not available for chapters 11–22.
| Code | Description | Billable |
|---|---|---|
| T71..1 | Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing | No |
| T71..11 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow | No |
| T71..111 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, accidental | No |
| T71..112 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, intentional self-harm | No |
| T71..113 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, assault | No |
| T71..114 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, undetermined | No |
| T71..12 | Asphyxiation due to plastic bag | No |
| T71..121 | Asphyxiation due to plastic bag, accidental | No |
| T71..122 | Asphyxiation due to plastic bag, intentional self-harm | No |
| T71..123 | Asphyxiation due to plastic bag, assault | No |
| T71..124 | Asphyxiation due to plastic bag, undetermined | No |
| T71..13 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in bed linens | No |
| T71..131 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in bed linens, accidental | No |
| T71..132 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in bed linens, intentional self-harm | No |
| T71..133 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in bed linens, assault | No |
| T71..134 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in bed linens, undetermined | No |
| T71..14 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under another person's body (in bed) | No |
| T71..141 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under another person's body (in bed), accidental | No |
| T71..143 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under another person's body (in bed), assault | No |
| T71..144 | Asphyxiation due to smothering under another person's body (in bed), undetermined | No |
| T71..15 | Asphyxiation due to smothering in furniture | No |
| T71..151 | Asphyxiation due to smothering in furniture, accidental | No |
| T71..152 | Asphyxiation due to smothering in furniture, intentional self-harm | No |
| T71..153 | Asphyxiation due to smothering in furniture, assault | No |
| T71..154 | Asphyxiation due to smothering in furniture, undetermined | No |
| T71..16 | Asphyxiation due to hanging | No |
| T71..161 | Asphyxiation due to hanging, accidental | No |
| T71..162 | Asphyxiation due to hanging, intentional self-harm | No |
| T71..163 | Asphyxiation due to hanging, assault | No |
| T71..164 | Asphyxiation due to hanging, undetermined | No |
| T71..19 | Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing due to other causes | No |
| T71..191 | Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing due to other causes, accidental | No |
| T71..192 | Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing due to other causes, intentional self-harm | No |
| T71..193 | Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing due to other causes, assault | No |
| T71..194 | Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing due to other causes, undetermined | No |
| T71..2 | Asphyxiation due to systemic oxygen deficiency due to low oxygen content in ambient air | No |
| T71..20 | Asphyxiation due to systemic oxygen deficiency due to low oxygen content in ambient air due to unspecified cause | No |
| T71..21 | Asphyxiation due to cave-in or falling earth | No |
| T71..22 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a car trunk | No |
| T71..221 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a car trunk, accidental | No |
| T71..222 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a car trunk, intentional self-harm | No |
| T71..223 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a car trunk, assault | No |
| T71..224 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a car trunk, undetermined | No |
| T71..23 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a (discarded) refrigerator | No |
| T71..231 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a (discarded) refrigerator, accidental | No |
| T71..232 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a (discarded) refrigerator, intentional self-harm | No |
| T71..233 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a (discarded) refrigerator, assault | No |
| T71..234 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a (discarded) refrigerator, undetermined | No |
| T71..29 | Asphyxiation due to being trapped in other low oxygen environment | No |
| T71..9 | Asphyxiation due to unspecified cause | No |
Last reviewed: September 2026