Burn of unspecified degree of left palm, initial encounter

This code signifies a burn injury to the palm of the left hand where the depth of the burn (e.g., first, second, or third degree) is not documented. It is used for the initial treatment of such an injury.

Apply this code when a patient presents for the first time with a burn to the left palm, and the medical record does not specify the burn's degree. This is common in emergency department settings or initial evaluations where the burn depth may not yet be fully assessed or documented.

• Ensure the documentation explicitly states "left palm" and does not specify the burn degree.
• Only use the "A" seventh character for the very first encounter for this specific burn.
• If the burn degree is later determined, a more specific code should be used for subsequent encounters.