T79.A1 – Traumatic compartment syndrome of upper extremity

ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code · Certain early complications of trauma (T79)

Non-billable header

ICD-10-CM code T79.A1

Code: T79.A1 (claims format: T79A1)
Description: Traumatic compartment syndrome of upper extremity
Billable: No – use a more specific code below
Valid for: Dates of service October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 (FY2027)
Chapter: 19. Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
Block: T79 Certain early complications of trauma (T79)
Parent codes: T79 › T79.A

Billable codes under T79.A1

T79.A1 is a header code and cannot be used on claims. Choose the most specific code:

T79.A11 – Traumatic compartment syndrome of right upper extremityHeader (more codes below)
T79.A12 – Traumatic compartment syndrome of left upper extremityHeader (more codes below)
T79.A19 – Traumatic compartment syndrome of unspecified upper extremityHeader (more codes below)

7th character values

Codes in this category need a 7th character to describe the encounter or episode of care (use placeholder X for empty positions).

Character	Meaning
`A`	initial encounter
`D`	subsequent encounter
`S`	sequela

Notes for T79.A1

Applicable to:

Traumatic compartment syndrome of shoulder, arm, forearm, wrist, hand, and fingers

Notes inherited from parent codes

Instructional notes at a category or block level apply to every code below it.

T79 – Certain early complications of trauma, not elsewhere classified

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)

7th character note:

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

T79.A – Traumatic compartment syndrome

Excludes1 (not coded here):

fibromyalgia (M79.7)
nontraumatic compartment syndrome (M79.A-)

Excludes2 (not included here):

traumatic ischemic infarction of muscle (T79.6)

Index terms for T79.A1

Entries in the ICD-10-CM alphabetic index that lead to this code:

Related codes in T79.A

Frequently asked questions

What is ICD-10 code T79.A1?

T79.A1 is the ICD-10-CM code for traumatic compartment syndrome of upper extremity, in the block T79 (Certain early complications of trauma (T79)).

Is T79.A1 a billable code?

No. T79.A1 is a header code with more specific child codes; report one of the billable codes listed above.

What category does T79.A1 belong to?

It belongs to category T79 – Certain early complications of trauma, not elsewhere classified.

Source: CDC/NCHS ICD-10-CM FY2027 code files, tabular list and index. Reference only – code assignment must follow the official ICD-10-CM guidelines and documentation in the medical record.