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    v1.0.28
    OpenPayerBilling CodesOther and unspecified effects of external causesICD-10-CM t70-effects-of-air-pressure
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    ICD-10-CM Code For Effects Of Air Pressure And Water Pressure: Group Overview

    The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code group T70 includes injuries and disorders caused by changes in atmospheric or water pressure such as barotrauma, decompression sickness, and pressure-related ear or lung injuries. These ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes are used to document clinical encounters where pressure-related mechanisms produced injury, capturing affected body systems, severity, and specific manifestations. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-CM T70 group supports proper claim adjudication, complete clinical documentation, and appropriate reimbursement.

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    ICD-10-CM T70: Effects of Air Pressure And Water Pressure Overview

    The ICD-10-CM T70 group captures injuries and conditions resulting from abnormal changes in air pressure and water pressure acting on the body, including barotrauma, decompression sickness, and pressure-related ear or lung injuries. These conditions primarily affect the ear, respiratory system, central nervous system, and musculoskeletal system depending on exposure. Accurate coding matters for correct clinical records and supports appropriate claim adjudication and reimbursement.

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    When to Use

    Use a code from this group when a patient presents with injury or illness directly attributable to changes in atmospheric or water pressure, such as diving-related decompression sickness or ear barotrauma from rapid pressure changes. Assign codes that specify the affected body system and severity when documentation supports those details.

    ICD-10-CM Codes

    24 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    T70.0XXAOtitic barotrauma, initial encounter
    T70.0XXDOtitic barotrauma, subsequent encounter
    T70.0XXSOtitic barotrauma, sequela
    T70.1XXASinus barotrauma, initial encounter
    T70.1XXDSinus barotrauma, subsequent encounter
    T70.1XXSSinus barotrauma, sequela
    T70.20XAUnspecified effects of high altitude, initial encounter
    T70.20XDUnspecified effects of high altitude, subsequent encounter
    T70.20XSUnspecified effects of high altitude, sequela
    T70.29XAOther effects of high altitude, initial encounter
    T70.29XDOther effects of high altitude, subsequent encounter
    T70.29XSOther effects of high altitude, sequela
    T70.3XXACaisson disease [decompression sickness], initial encounter
    T70.3XXDCaisson disease [decompression sickness], subsequent encounter
    T70.3XXSCaisson disease [decompression sickness], sequela
    T70.4XXAEffects of high-pressure fluids, initial encounter
    T70.4XXDEffects of high-pressure fluids, subsequent encounter
    T70.4XXSEffects of high-pressure fluids, sequela
    T70.8XXAOther effects of air pressure and water pressure, initial encounter
    T70.8XXDOther effects of air pressure and water pressure, subsequent encounter

    Showing 1–20 of 24

    DRG Codes

    6 rows

    DRG CodeDescription
    152Otitis Media and URI with MCC
    153Otitis Media and URI without MCC
    922Other Injury, Poisoning and Toxic Effect Diagnoses with MCC
    923Other Injury, Poisoning and Toxic Effect Diagnoses without MCC
    949Aftercare with CC/MCC
    950Aftercare without CC/MCC

    Typical Clinical Scenarios

    • A scuba diver surfaces rapidly after a deep dive and develops acute onset chest pain, dyspnea, and neurological symptoms such as confusion and limb weakness; he presents to the emergency department within an hour of surfacing. Emergency clinicians evaluate for decompression sickness (caisson disease) with signs of air embolism and perform hyperbaric consultation. A diagnosis from this group is assigned because the patient has acute effects of ambient pressure change requiring urgent treatment. Typical codes: T70.20XA, T70.29XA
    • An industrial worker with repeated occupational exposures to high-pressure air in a compressed-air tunnel over months develops chronic joint pain, fatigue, and intermittent numbness; he seeks occupational medicine follow-up for persistent symptoms after prior decompression events. The clinician documents a chronic sequela of prior barotrauma/decompression injury and codes a delayed or sequela presentation to capture long-term effects of pressure exposure. Typical codes: T70.0XXS, T70.1XXS
    • An elderly patient falls into a deep pool and is rescued after prolonged submersion; on arrival to the hospital he is hypoxic, has pulmonary edema on chest imaging, and requires ventilatory support for acute immersion-related lung injury. The treating team identifies acute water pressure/immersion effects (near-drowning/immersion pulmonary edema) as a primary external cause contributing to respiratory failure and assigns an appropriate code from this group alongside respiratory support interventions. Typical codes: T70.3XXA, T70.4XXA

    Related Codes

    T66-RADIATION-SICKNESS-UNSPECIFIED

    ICD-10-CM Code For Radiation Sickness Unspecified: Group Overview

    T67-EFFECTS-OF-HEAT-AND-LIGHT

    ICD-10-CM Code For Effects Of Heat And Light: Group Overview

    T68-HYPOTHERMIA

    ICD-10-CM Code For Hypothermia: Group Overview

    T69-OTHER-EFFECTS-OF-REDUCED-TEMPERATURE

    ICD-10-CM Code For Other Effects Of Reduced Temperature: Group Overview

    T71-ASPHYXIATION-AND-RELATED-CONDITIONS

    ICD-10-CM Code For Asphyxiation: Group Overview

    T74-ADULT-AND-CHILD-ABUSE

    ICD-10-CM Code For Adult And Child Abuse Neglect And Other Maltreatment Confirmed: Group Overview

    T75-OTHER-AND-UNSPECIFIED-EFFECTS

    ICD-10-CM Code For Other And Unspecified Effects Of Other External Causes: Group Overview

    T76-ADULT-AND-CHILD-ABUSE-NEGLECT

    ICD-10-CM Code For Adult And Child Abuse Neglect And Other Maltreatment Suspected: Group Overview

    T78-ADVERSE-EFFECTS-NOT-ELSEWHERE-CLASSIFIED

    ICD-10-CM Code For Adverse Effects Not Elsewhere Classified: 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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