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T71.11

⚠ Non-billable (Header)

Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow

Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)

⚠️ This is a category header code — not billable. Use a more specific child code below.

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❌ Excludes1

inherited

Rules inherited from parent codes in the hierarchy.

T71
  • • acute respiratory distress (syndrome) (J80)
  • • anoxia due to high altitude (T70.2)
  • • asphyxia NOS (R09.01)
  • • asphyxia from carbon monoxide (T58.-)
  • • asphyxia from inhalation of food or foreign body (T17.-)
  • • asphyxia from other gases, fumes and vapors (T59.-)
  • • respiratory distress (syndrome) in newborn (P22.-)

Child Codes (4)

T71.111Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, accidentalT71.112Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, intentional self-harmT71.113Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, assaultT71.114Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow, undetermined

Clinical Description

ICD-10-CM code T71.11 represents asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow. This code falls under the Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88) classification. It is a non-billable category header code. A more specific child code from the list below must be used for billing and reimbursement purposes.

This is a 6-character code at the 5th level of specificity. There are 4 more specific child codes under T71.11. Coders should note that T71.11 has 7 Excludes1 restriction(s) — codes that cannot be reported together on the same claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ICD-10 code T71.11?

ICD-10-CM code T71.11 is "Asphyxiation due to smothering under pillow". It belongs to the category: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88).

Is T71.11 a billable ICD-10 code?

No, T71.11 is a non-billable header code. A more specific child code must be used for billing.

What codes are excluded with T71.11?

T71.11 has 7 Excludes1 rule(s). These codes are mutually exclusive and cannot be coded together on the same claim.

Related Codes in T71.1

Other codes in the same category that may be relevant for differential coding:

T71.12Asphyxiation due to plastic bagT71.13Asphyxiation due to being trapped in bed linensT71.14Asphyxiation due to smothering under another person's body (in bed)T71.15Asphyxiation due to smothering in furnitureT71.16Asphyxiation due to hangingT71.19Asphyxiation due to mechanical threat to breathing due to other causes

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Code Information

CodeT71.11
BillableNo — Header code
ParentT71.1
CategoryInjury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
Excludes17 rule(s)
Excludes20 note(s)
Child codes4

Data Source

CMS ICD-10-CM 2026 Tabular List

Updated October 1, 2025 (FY2026)