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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

T18.12Food in esophagus

Not billable — use a more specific codeRequires 7th character

T18.12 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 2 more specific codes beneath it and add the required 7th character.

Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data

About T18.12

T18.12 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for food in esophagus. It belongs to category T18 (foreign body in alimentary tract), block T15-T19 (effects of foreign body entering through natural orifice) and chapter 19 (injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 2 subcodes must be used instead.

Within T18.1 (foreign body in esophagus), T18.12 is specifically for food in esophagus. Related codes cover unspecified foreign body in esophagus (T18.10), gastric contents in esophagus (T18.11) and other foreign object in esophagus (T18.19).

Codes in this range require a 7th character: A for initial encounter, D for subsequent encounter and S for sequela. Use placeholder "X" characters to fill any empty positions before the 7th character.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

7th character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T18

  • Ainitial encounter
  • Dsubsequent encounter
  • Ssequela

Coding notes

Applicable toConditions and synonyms classified to this code
  • Bones in esophagus
  • Seeds in esophagus

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to T18.12.

› From T18.1 Foreign body in esophagus
Excludes2
  • foreign body in respiratory tract (T17.-)
› From T18 Foreign body in alimentary tract
Excludes2
  • foreign body in pharynx (T17.2-)

Broader instructions also apply from T15-T19 Effects of foreign body entering through natural orifice and Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

Code history

  1. 2016
  2. 2017
  3. 2018
  4. 2019
  5. 2020
  6. 2021
  7. 2022
  8. 2023
  9. 2024
  10. 2025
  11. 2026
  12. 2027
  • FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
  • No changes since FY2016.

Common questions about T18.12

Is T18.12 billable?

No. T18.12 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.