T81.511 Adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion

ICD-10-CM T81.511: Adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion

ICD-10-CM code T81.511 represents adhesions due to a foreign body accidentally left in the body following an infusion or transfusion. The terminology is active and classified under the semantic type of Injury or Poisoning. This code is a specific diagnostic concept within the broader category of complications involving foreign bodies left after procedures. 1 4

Plain-language overview

Code T81.511 identifies adhesions resulting from a foreign body that was accidentally left in the body following an infusion or transfusion, classifying this event under the semantic type of Injury or Poisoning. 1 4

What this code represents

The official label for T81.511 is adhesions due to foreign body accidentally left in body following infusion or transfusion, and its semantic type is Injury or Poisoning. 1 4

T81.511 is a narrower concept under the parent code T81.51, which covers adhesions due to a foreign body accidentally left in the body following a procedure. 1

Coding details

The T81.511 terminology record has no narrower child concepts, and CMS manuals list specific encounter extensions such as T81.511A for initial encounters and T81.511D for subsequent encounters. 1 3 6

CMS distinguishes T81.511 from related complications following infusion or transfusion, such as obstruction, perforation, and other unspecified complications of retained foreign bodies. 3

Documentation considerations

The official terminology specifies that the adhesions are due to a foreign body accidentally left in the body following an infusion or transfusion, providing the exact clinical detail necessary for this diagnostic label. 1

What the sources add

The NCI terminology record establishes the active status and hierarchical parent for T81.511, while the CMS manual provides operational context by listing the code alongside related procedural complications. 1 3

Coverage and utilization context

A CMS billing article for lumbar MRI includes T81.511D, demonstrating the code's appearance in payer documentation, though this does not guarantee coverage for any specific service. 6

Clinical context

Separate clinical literature indicates that foreign bodies can prevent fistulas from closing and that operative management with lysis of adhesions is considered if a patient shows clinical deterioration. 2

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM T81.511 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Question Sets and Answers — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRGv33 Definitions Manual — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
6. Article - Billing and Coding: Lumbar MRI (A57207) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.