Infection of obstetric surgical wound, other surgical site

This code signifies a bacterial or other infectious process occurring at the site of a surgical incision made during an obstetric procedure, excluding specific infections like cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, or sepsis. It covers infections of the surgical wound itself, such as an infected episiotomy, perineal laceration repair, or cesarean section incision, that are not otherwise specified.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates an infection of an obstetric surgical wound, and no more specific infection code (e.g., O86.01 for cellulitis) is applicable. This includes infections of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, or deeper layers at the surgical site following delivery or other obstetric surgery. Documentation should specify the presence of infection and its location at the surgical wound.

• Ensure the infection is explicitly linked to an obstetric surgical wound; otherwise, a non-obstetric infection code may be more appropriate.
• Distinguish this code from more specific obstetric surgical wound infection codes (e.g., O86.01 for cellulitis, O86.02 for necrotizing fasciitis) and use the most specific code available.
• Code any associated systemic infection or sepsis separately, following sequencing guidelines.