Air embolism, traumatic

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ICD10 Diagnosis
Dx: Air embolism, traumatic
ICD10 code: T79.0
Pre-ICD10 counterpart: Art/Ven Embolus/Thrombus, Pulmonary Embolus Air
Charlson/ALERT Scale: none
APACHE Como Component: none
APACHE Acute Component: none
Start Date:
Stop Date:
External ICD10 Documentation

This diagnosis is a part of ICD10 collection.

  • SMW
    • 2019-01-01
    • 2999-12-31
    • T79.0
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Additional Info

  • An air embolism, also called a gas embolism­, occurs when one or more air bubbles enter a vein or artery and block it. When an air bubble enters a vein, it’s called a venous air embolism. When an air bubble enters an artery, it’s called an arterial air embolism.

These air bubbles can travel to your brain, heart, or lungs and cause a heart attack, stroke, or respiratory failure.*

  • Lung trauma - An air embolism can sometimes occur if there’s trauma to your lung. For example, if your lung is compromised after an accident, you might be put on a breathing ventilator. This ventilator could force air into a damaged vein or artery.
  • Scuba diving - You can also get an air embolism while scuba diving. This is possible if you hold your breath for too long when you’re under water or if you surface from the water too quickly.

These actions can cause the air sacs in your lungs, called alveoli, to rupture. When the alveoli rupture, air may move to your arteries, resulting in an air embolism.

  • Explosion and blast injuries - An injury that occurs because of a bomb or blast explosion can cause your veins or arteries to open. These injuries typically occur in combat situations. The force of the explosion can push air into injured veins or arteries.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common fatal injury for people in combat who survive blast injuries is “blast lung.” Blast lung is when an explosion or blast damages your lung and air is forced into a vein or artery in the lung.

Alternate ICD10s to consider coding instead or in addition

Venous thromboembolism codes:
Trauma codes:
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Candidate Combined ICD10 codes

Traumas and their Mechanisms

  • In ICD10, traumas need to be combined with separate mechanism codes to fully explain the situation.
  • Here are lists of the codes for "mechanical" injuries to various body parts:
    • some codes are always traumatic and always need a mechanism:
Trauma codes:
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  • Other codes may or may not be of a traumatic nature; these also qualify to be coded with trauma mechanisms listed below:
Potential trauma codes:
  • Here is a list of the external mechanism or agent that caused the trauma:
Mechanism codes:

Regarding Multiple Trauma

Iatrogenic injuries

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