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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesEffects of foreign body entering through natural orificeICD-10-CM t18-foreign-body-in-alimentary-tract
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    ICD-10-CM Code For Foreign Body In Alimentary Tract: Group Overview

    The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code group T18 includes diagnoses for foreign bodies in the alimentary tract, covering objects lodged in the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, or rectum and any related complications. These ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes are used to document clinical scenarios such as obstruction, perforation, infection, or need for removal procedures, capturing anatomic location and severity. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-CM T18 group supports proper claim adjudication.

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    ICD-10-CM T18: Foreign Body In Alimentary Tract Overview

    The ICD-10-CM T18 code group captures injuries and conditions caused by foreign bodies entering the alimentary tract through a natural orifice. These codes apply to objects lodged anywhere along the digestive tract from mouth to anus, and include complications such as obstruction, perforation, or infection. Accurate coding is important for correct claim adjudication and reflects clinical complexity relevant to treatment and billing.

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    When to Use

    Use a code from this group when a patient presents with a documented foreign body in any part of the alimentary tract or a complication directly attributable to that foreign body. Select codes that identify the anatomic site, whether the object is retained or has caused perforation or obstruction, and any subsequent management such as removal.

    ICD-10-CM Codes

    45 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    T18.0XXAForeign body in mouth, initial encounter
    T18.0XXDForeign body in mouth, subsequent encounter
    T18.0XXSForeign body in mouth, sequela
    T18.100AUnspecified foreign body in esophagus causing compression of trachea, initial encounter
    T18.100DUnspecified foreign body in esophagus causing compression of trachea, subsequent encounter
    T18.100SUnspecified foreign body in esophagus causing compression of trachea, sequela
    T18.108AUnspecified foreign body in esophagus causing other injury, initial encounter
    T18.108DUnspecified foreign body in esophagus causing other injury, subsequent encounter
    T18.108SUnspecified foreign body in esophagus causing other injury, sequela
    T18.110AGastric contents in esophagus causing compression of trachea, initial encounter
    T18.110DGastric contents in esophagus causing compression of trachea, subsequent encounter
    T18.110SGastric contents in esophagus causing compression of trachea, sequela
    T18.118AGastric contents in esophagus causing other injury, initial encounter
    T18.118DGastric contents in esophagus causing other injury, subsequent encounter
    T18.118SGastric contents in esophagus causing other injury, sequela
    T18.120AFood in esophagus causing compression of trachea, initial encounter
    T18.120DFood in esophagus causing compression of trachea, subsequent encounter
    T18.120SFood in esophagus causing compression of trachea, sequela
    T18.128AFood in esophagus causing other injury, initial encounter
    T18.128DFood in esophagus causing other injury, subsequent encounter

    Showing 1–20 of 45

    DRG Codes

    13 rows

    DRG CodeDescription
    011Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with MCC
    012Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with CC
    013Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy without CC/MCC
    157Dental and Oral Diseases with MCC
    158Dental and Oral Diseases with CC
    159Dental and Oral Diseases without CC/MCC
    393Other Digestive System Diagnoses with MCC
    394Other Digestive System Diagnoses with CC
    395Other Digestive System Diagnoses without CC/MCC
    913Traumatic Injury with MCC
    914Traumatic Injury without MCC
    949Aftercare with CC/MCC
    950Aftercare without CC/MCC

    Typical Clinical Scenarios

    • An elderly patient with dementia presents to the emergency department after caregivers report sudden onset drooling, refusal to eat, and persistent gagging. Radiographs confirm a large impacted meat bolus lodged in the hypopharynx/esophagus causing obstructive symptoms; endoscopic removal is performed during the same visit. A diagnosis from this group is assigned to capture the acute foreign body in the upper alimentary tract requiring emergency intervention. Typical codes: T18.0XXA, T18.2XXA
    • A toddler is seen in urgent care for several days of intermittent coughing, drooling, and difficulty swallowing after a choking episode; imaging shows a small coin lodged in the esophagus and outpatient endoscopic retrieval is scheduled. Because the event occurred previously with delayed presentation and planned non-emergent removal, a code from this group is used to document the foreign body presence and encounter type. Typical codes: T18.1XXA, T18.1XXD
    • An adult patient is hospitalized for aspiration pneumonia and during hospitalization develops signs of persistent obstruction; evaluation reveals that a long-standing impacted food bolus in the esophagus was not fully removed at prior visit and now complicates the pulmonary infection. A code from this group is assigned to indicate the chronic or complicated alimentary foreign body as a comorbidity impacting current care. Typical codes: T18.9XXD, T18.8XXD

    Related Codes

    T15-FOREIGN-BODY-ON-EXTERNAL-EYE

    ICD-10-CM Code For Foreign Body On External Eye: Group Overview

    T16-FOREIGN-BODY-IN-EAR

    ICD-10-CM Code For Foreign Body In Ear: Group Overview

    T17-FOREIGN-BODY-IN-RESPIRATORY-TRACT

    ICD-10-CM Code For Foreign Body In Respiratory Tract: Group Overview

    T19-FOREIGN-BODY-IN-GENITOURINARY-TRACT

    ICD-10-CM Code For Foreign Body In Genitourinary Tract: Group Overview

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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