Unspecified injury of lung, bilateral, initial encounter

This code signifies an injury to both lungs where the specific nature of the trauma (e.g., contusion, laceration, puncture) is not documented. It indicates that the patient is presenting for the initial treatment of this bilateral lung injury.

This code is appropriate for emergency department visits or initial hospital admissions following a traumatic event (e.g., motor vehicle accident, fall, assault) where imaging or clinical assessment confirms injury to both lungs, but the precise type of injury is not yet determined or specified in the medical record. It should be used when the patient is receiving active treatment for the injury.

• Only use this code when the documentation explicitly states "bilateral" lung involvement and the specific type of injury is unknown.
• If the specific type of lung injury (e.g., contusion, laceration) is identified, a more specific code should be selected.
• Ensure the "A" seventh character for initial encounter is appropriate for the patient's current phase of care.