Struck by other birds, subsequent encounter

This code signifies an injury sustained from being struck by an unspecified bird, occurring during a follow-up visit for the initial injury. It indicates that the patient is receiving ongoing care for the effects of the bird strike, rather than presenting for the first time.

Apply this code for subsequent encounters where a patient is being treated for complications, healing, or follow-up related to an injury caused by an unidentifiable bird. This includes office visits, hospital readmissions, or other healthcare encounters after the initial treatment for the bird strike.

• Ensure the encounter is indeed subsequent to the initial injury; otherwise, an initial encounter code (W61.92XA) should be used.
• Always code any specific injuries (e.g., fracture, contusion) sustained from the bird strike in addition to this external cause code.
• If the type of bird is known, a more specific W61 code should be chosen (e.g., W61.02XD for parrot, W61.12XD for macaw).