Inhalation and ingestion of food causing obstruction of respiratory tract or suffocation

This code signifies an accidental event where food enters the respiratory tract, leading to airway obstruction or suffocation. It describes the external cause of injury, specifically the aspiration or ingestion of food that results in a life-threatening respiratory compromise.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates that food was the foreign body causing choking, aspiration pneumonia, or respiratory arrest due to airway blockage. This is typically used in cases of accidental ingestion or inhalation events, often seen in young children, the elderly, or individuals with swallowing difficulties.

• Always sequence this E-code as a secondary diagnosis to identify the external cause of injury, following the primary diagnosis for the resulting condition (e.g., aspiration pneumonia, anoxia).
• Differentiate from choking on non-food foreign bodies; those events use different E-codes.
• Ensure documentation specifies "food" as the obstructing agent, rather than general "foreign body."