ICD-10-CM › S00-T88 › T33-T34 › T33.01 Superficial frostbite of ear › T33.019

This code exists but cannot be submitted on its own. It groups the more specific codes beneath it.

A category header for its whole life, FY2016 onwards. It has never been valid for submission on its own.

Submit one of these 3 more specific codes instead:

• T33.019A Superficial frostbite of unspecified ear, initial encounter
• T33.019D Superficial frostbite of unspecified ear, subsequent encounter
• T33.019S Superficial frostbite of unspecified ear, sequela

This code requires a seventh character. See the rule below.

What has happened to this code

Official coding rules

Published by CDC for FY2027. A rule attached to a category binds every code beneath it, so the rules inherited from this code's ancestors are shown with the code they come from.

Inherited from T33 Superficial frostbite

Seventh character required

• The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T33

Includes

• frostbite with partial thickness skin loss

Inherited from the T33-T34 section Frostbite (T33-T34)

Excludes2 - not included here

• hypothermia and other effects of reduced temperature (T68, T69.-)

How CDC's index refers to this code

Wording from the official alphabetic index. Much of it appears nowhere in the code description, which is why a search for the everyday phrase so often finds nothing.

• Frozen
• Freezing
• Frostbite > leg > toe
• Frostbite > head > ear
• Effect, adverse > cold > frostbite
• Frostbite > leg > with tissue necrosis
• Frostbite > with > partial thickness skin loss
• Frostbite > ear

Codes in the same group

Code	Description	Status
T33.011	Superficial frostbite of right ear	Not billable
T33.012	Superficial frostbite of left ear	Not billable