Superficial foreign body of left wrist, subsequent encounter

This code signifies the presence of a foreign object lodged superficially in the soft tissues of the patient's left wrist, following initial treatment. The foreign body is typically visible or palpable and does not penetrate deeper structures like muscle, tendon, or bone. This diagnosis indicates a follow-up visit for care related to this specific injury.

Use this code for a patient presenting for a subsequent encounter related to a superficial foreign body in the left wrist. This includes visits for wound checks, removal of the foreign body if not done previously, or management of complications like infection after the initial treatment. It is appropriate when the patient is no longer in the initial phase of injury care.

• Ensure documentation specifies "left wrist" and "superficial" to support this code.
• The "D" seventh character indicates a subsequent encounter, meaning the patient is receiving routine care during the healing or recovery phase.
• Do not use for initial treatment of the injury; a different seventh character would be required for the initial encounter.