ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code
T81.49Infection following a procedure, other surgical site
T81.49 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 3 more specific codes beneath it and add the required 7th character.
Looking up by condition? See ICD-10 code for Postoperative wound infection.
Code last changed in FY2019 (effective October 1, 2018). Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data
About T81.49
T81.49 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for infection following a procedure, other surgical site. It belongs to category T81 (complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified), block T80-T88 (complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified) 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 3 subcodes must be used instead.
Within T81.4, choose T81.49 (other surgical site) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: unspecified (T81.40), superficial incisional surgical site (T81.41), deep incisional surgical site (T81.42), organ and space surgical site (T81.43) and sepsis following a procedure (T81.44).
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.
Use an additional code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5).
It was added in FY2019, effective October 1, 2018.
7th character
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T81
Notes that apply from higher levels
Instructions written at a parent level also apply to T81.49.
› From T81.4 Infection following a procedure
- bleb associated endophthalmitis (H59.4-)
- infection due to infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection (T80.2-)
- infection due to prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82.6-T82.7, T83.5-T83.6, T84.5-T84.7, T85.7)
- obstetric surgical wound infection (O86.0-)
- postprocedural fever NOS (R50.82)
- postprocedural retroperitoneal abscess (K68.11)
- code to identify infection
- code (R65.2-) to identify severe sepsis, if applicable
- , if applicable, disruption of internal operation (surgical) wound (T81.32-)
› From T81 Complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified
- complications following immunization (T88.0-T88.1)
- complications following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection (T80.-)
- complications of transplanted organs and tissue (T86.-)
- specified complications classified elsewhere, such as:
- complication of prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82-T85)
- dermatitis due to drugs and medicaments (L23.3, L24.4, L25.1, L27.0-L27.1)
- endosseous dental implant failure (M27.6-)
- floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) (intraoperative) H21.81
- intraoperative and postprocedural complications of specific body system (D78.-, E36.-, E89.-, G97.3-, G97.4, H59.3-, H59.-, H95.2-, H95.3, I97.4-, I97.5, J95, K91.-, L76.-, M96.-, N99.-)
- ostomy complications (J95.0-, K94.-, N99.5-)
- plateau iris syndrome (post-iridectomy) (postprocedural) H21.82
- poisoning and toxic effects of drugs and chemicals (T36-T65 with fifth or sixth character 1-4)
Broader instructions also apply from T80-T88 Complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified and Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.
Alphabetic index entries
9 entriesTerms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to T81.49.
- Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) › operative wound
- Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) › postoperative (any site)
- Abscess (connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic) › wound
- Cellulitis (diffuse) (phlegmonous) (septic) (suppurative) › drainage site (following operation)
- Complication (s) (from) (of) › surgical procedure (on) › wound infection
- Infection, infected, infective (opportunistic) › operation wound
- Infection, infected, infective (opportunistic) › postoperative wound
- Infection, infected, infective (opportunistic) › postoperative wound › surgical site › specified NEC
- Sepsis (generalized) (unspecified organism) › localized - code to specific localized infection › in operation wound
Code history
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
- 2027
- FY2019 (effective 10/1/2018): Added
- No changes since FY2019.
Common questions about T81.49
Is T81.49 billable?
- No. T81.49 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.