ICD-10-CM › S00-T88 › T79 › T79.A Traumatic compartment syndrome › T79.A9

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:

• T79.A9XA Traumatic compartment syndrome of other sites, initial encounter
• T79.A9XD Traumatic compartment syndrome of other sites, subsequent encounter
• T79.A9XS Traumatic compartment syndrome of other sites, 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 T79 Certain early complications of trauma, not elsewhere classified

Seventh character required

• The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T79

Excludes2 - not included here

• acute respiratory distress syndrome (J80)
• complications occurring during or following medical procedures (T80-T88)
• complications of surgical and medical care NEC (T80-T88)
• newborn respiratory distress syndrome (P22.0)

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.

• Compartment syndrome > specified site NEC
• Syndrome > compartment > specified site NEC

Codes in the same group

Code	Description	Status
T79.A0	Compartment syndrome, unspecified	Not billable
T79.A1	Traumatic compartment syndrome of upper extremity	Not billable
T79.A2	Traumatic compartment syndrome of lower extremity	Not billable
T79.A3	Traumatic compartment syndrome of abdomen	Not billable