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ICD-10-CM T88.4XXS: Failed or difficult intubation, sequela

T88.4XXS is the billable ICD-10-CM code for failed or difficult intubation, sequela, in category T88 (Other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified) of the Complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified section. As a principal diagnosis it groups to MS-DRG 922 Other Injury, Poisoning and Toxic Effect Diagnoses with MCC, MS-DRG 923 Other Injury, Poisoning and Toxic Effect Diagnoses without MCC (MDC 21 MDC 21: Injuries, Poisonings and Toxic Effects of Drugs). 3 LCD billing and coding articles list it as covered.

Compiled from CMS files by the QuickIntell RCM Editorial Team · Data effective · Method: reference methodology · Report a data correction

Data currency: ICD-10-CM code descriptions: FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026); IPPS Table 5 (MS-DRG weights): v44 FY2027 (final rule + CN3) (effective October 1, 2026); ICD-10-CM to HCC mapping: PY2027 initial ICD-10-CM mappings (dates of service 2026) (payment year 2027); Medicare Coverage Database billing and coding articles: MCD release October 8, 2026 (effective October 4, 2026). Next CMS release: FY2028 code files, effective October 1, 2027 for the ICD-10-CM code descriptions; FY2028 final rule (August 2027), effective October 1, 2027; an April 1 interim grouper update when CMS issues one for the IPPS Table 5 (MS-DRG weights); PY2028 advance notice (February 2027) and the PY2027 midyear final mapping (spring 2027) for the ICD-10-CM to HCC mapping; weekly, every Thursday for the Medicare Coverage Database billing and coding articles.

Code
T88.4XXS
billable FY2027 ICD-10-CM code
Category
T88 Other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified
Chapter
19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
CC/MCC (MS-DRG v44)
Neither
CMS-HCC V28
Not mapped
POA reporting
Exempt

Tabular list notes for T88.4XXS

The tabular list has no notes on T88.4XXS itself; the notes below apply from its parent headings.

Inherited from T88 (Other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified)

Excludes2 (not part of this condition, may be coded together)
  • complication following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection (T80.-)
  • complication following procedure NEC (T81.-)
  • complications of anesthesia in labor and delivery (O74.-)
  • complications of anesthesia in pregnancy (O29.-)
  • complications of anesthesia in puerperium (O89.-)
  • complications of devices, implants and grafts (T82-T85)
  • complications of obstetric surgery and procedure (O75.4)
  • dermatitis due to drugs and medicaments (L23.3, L24.4, L25.1, L27.0-L27.1)
  • poisoning and toxic effects of drugs and chemicals (T36-T65 with fifth or sixth character 1-4)
  • specified complications classified elsewhere

The 7th character S means “sequela”, as defined at T88. The same injury coded for a later encounter uses a different 7th character, so check each encounter.

MS-DRG grouping when T88.4XXS is the principal diagnosis

MS-DRG v44 groups for T88.4XXS as principal diagnosis
MDCMS-DRGs
21 MDC 21: Injuries, Poisonings and Toxic Effects of Drugs922923

The final group also depends on procedures, secondary diagnoses and discharge status; the MS-DRG lookup for T88.4XXS shows the full grouping logic.

CC/MCC status and inpatient edits

T88.4XXS is neither a CC nor an MCC under MS-DRG v44, so as a secondary diagnosis it does not raise the MS-DRG severity level. Check T88.4XXS against a principal diagnosis.

  • Present on admission: exempt from POA indicator reporting (FY2027 exempt list).

CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment

T88.4XXS does not map to a payment HCC in the PY2027 CMS-HCC V28 model, so on its own it does not change a Medicare Advantage risk score.

LCD billing and coding articles that list T88.4XXS

3 current Medicare billing and coding articles list T88.4XXS among the diagnoses that support medical necessity for the services they cover.

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Frequently asked questions

What does ICD-10-CM T88.4XXS mean?

T88.4XXS means failed or difficult intubation, sequela. It is one of 25 billable codes under T88, other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified.

Which MS-DRG does T88.4XXS group to?

As the principal diagnosis, T88.4XXS groups to MS-DRG 922 Other Injury, Poisoning and Toxic Effect Diagnoses with MCC, MS-DRG 923 Other Injury, Poisoning and Toxic Effect Diagnoses without MCC (MDC 21 MDC 21: Injuries, Poisonings and Toxic Effects of Drugs) under MS-DRG v44, before procedures and secondary diagnoses are applied.

Sources

Every figure on this page is taken from the CMS publications below, as released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Projection built 2026-10-10. Verify against the primary file before billing or contracting decisions. The reference methodology explains how each figure is computed from these files.

Disclaimer

The descriptor and notes are reproduced from the FY2027 ICD-10-CM files; MS-DRG, CC/MCC and HCC facts come from the CMS FY2027 and PY2027 tables. Code from the medical record and the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines. Not legal, clinical or billing advice.

Found a figure that does not match the CMS file? Report a data correction with the CMS file and the value you expected; the request reaches the editorial team through the contact form.