T88.4
Failed or difficult intubation
Not billable — category only FY2026 2025-10-01 → 2026-09-30
Exclusions 12 never code together
T88code
Excludes2
- complication following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection (T80.-)T80.-
- complication following procedure NEC (T81.-)T81.-
- complications of anesthesia in labor and delivery (O74.-)O74.-
- complications of anesthesia in pregnancy (O29.-)O29.-
- complications of anesthesia in puerperium (O89.-)O89.-
- complications of devices, implants and grafts (T82-T85)T82-T85
- complications of obstetric surgery and procedure (O75.4)O75.4
- dermatitis due to drugs and medicaments (L23.3, L24.4, L25.1, L27.0-L27.1)L23.3L24.4L25.1L27.0-L27.1
- poisoning and toxic effects of drugs and chemicals (T36-T65 with fifth or sixth character 1-4)T36-T65
- specified complications classified elsewhere
Excludes2 — not included here, but the patient may have both. Code both when documented.
7th character 3
A initial encounter
D subsequent encounter
S sequela
Instructional notes 3
S00-T88chapter
Notes
- Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
- The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.
Use additional code
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)Z18.-
Index entries leading here 4
Alongside this code 9 same parent — T88
T88.0 Infection following immunization category T88.1 Oth complications following immunization, NEC category T88.2 Shock due to anesthesia category T88.3 Malignant hyperthermia due to anesthesia category T88.5 Other complications of anesthesia category T88.6 Anaphylactic reaction due to advrs eff drug/med prop admin category T88.7 Unspecified adverse effect of drug or medicament category T88.8 Oth complications of surgical and medical care, NEC category T88.9 Complication of surgical and medical care, unspecified category
Additional references
AHA Coding Clinic® Licence required
Official coding advice for this code. Published by the American Hospital Association. Not included in this installation.