T68 - Hypothermia
ICD-10-CM Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes · T66-T78 Other and unspecified effects of external causes (T66-T78) · Top-level category · FY2027
Coding Guidance
T68 requires a 7th character. Report the code below that matches the documentation, for example A for initial encounter, D for subsequent encounter, S for sequela.
Inclusion terms listed under T68 in the ICD-10-CM tabular list.
- Accidental hypothermia
- Hypothermia NOS
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to code T68
Includes, Excludes and Coding Notes
Mutually exclusive: these conditions are never reported together with this code.
- hypothermia following anesthesia (T88.51)
- hypothermia not associated with low environmental temperature (R68.0)
- hypothermia of newborn (P80.-)
Not part of this code; report both codes when the patient has both conditions.
- frostbite (T33-T34)
Add a secondary code to identify the associated condition or cause when it is documented.
- code to identify source of exposure:
- Exposure to excessive cold of man-made origin (W93)
- Exposure to excessive cold of natural origin (X31)
Report an additional code when both conditions apply.
- , if applicable, place of occurrence, such as:
- highway rest stop (Y92.523)
- school (private) (public) (state) as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.21-)
- service areas as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.52-)
- single-family non-institutional (private) house as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.01-)
- transport vehicle as the place of occurrence of the external cause (Y92.81-)
Not part of this code; report both codes when the patient has both conditions.
- birth trauma (P10-P15)
- obstetric trauma (O70-O71)
Add a secondary code to identify the associated condition or cause when it is documented.
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Instructional notes from the ICD-10-CM tabular list.
- 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.
More Specific Codes (3)
Related condition guides
Documentation requirements, coding pitfalls and FAQs for conditions coded with T68.
More specific codes for T68
Codes at the same level as T68
- Superficial injury of headS00
- Open wound of headS01
- Fracture of skull and facial bonesS02
- Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of headS03
- Injury of cranial nerveS04
- Injury of eye and orbitS05
- Intracranial injuryS06
- Crushing injury of headS07
- Avulsion and traumatic amputation of part of headS08
- Other and unspecified injuries of headS09
- Superficial injury of neckS10
- Open wound of neckS11
- Fracture of cervical vertebra and other parts of neckS12
- Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments at neck levelS13
- Injury of nerves and spinal cord at neck levelS14
- Injury of blood vessels at neck levelS15
- Injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at neck levelS16
- Crushing injury of neckS17
- Other specified and unspecified injuries of neckS19
- Superficial injury of thoraxS20
- Open wound of thoraxS21
- Fracture of rib(s), sternum and thoracic spineS22
- Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of thoraxS23
- Injury of nerves and spinal cord at thorax levelS24
- Injury of blood vessels of thoraxS25
- Injury of heartS26
- Injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organsS27
- Crushing injury of thorax, and traumatic amputation of part of thoraxS28
- Other and unspecified injuries of thoraxS29
- Superficial injury of abdomen, lower back, pelvis and external genitalsS30
- Open wound of abdomen, lower back, pelvis and external genitalsS31
- Fracture of lumbar spine and pelvisS32
- Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of lumbar spine and pelvisS33
- Injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis levelS34
- Injury of blood vessels at abdomen, lower back and pelvis levelS35
- Injury of intra-abdominal organsS36
- Injury of urinary and pelvic organsS37
- Crushing injury and traumatic amputation of abdomen, lower back, pelvis and external genitalsS38
- Other and unspecified injuries of abdomen, lower back, pelvis and external genitalsS39
- Superficial injury of shoulder and upper armS40
130 more in this chapter.