Failure to introduce or to remove other tube or instrument

This code signifies a medical error where a tube or instrument, other than those specifically covered by more granular codes (e.g., catheter, drain, packing), was either not inserted as intended or not removed after its intended use. This can lead to complications due to the absence of the device or the presence of a retained foreign body.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates a procedural mishap involving the non-introduction or non-removal of a general medical tube or instrument. Examples include a forgotten surgical sponge (if not coded elsewhere as a specific foreign body), a missed insertion of a nasogastric tube, or a retained guide wire (if not coded as a specific foreign body).

• Always sequence this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the resulting complication or condition.
• Review operative reports and progress notes carefully for explicit statements of error or retained items.
• Distinguish this from codes for mechanical complications of devices already in place; this code refers to the failure of introduction or removal.