Injury by cutting and piercing instruments, undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted

This code signifies an injury resulting from a sharp object, such as a knife, glass, or needle, where the intent behind the injury cannot be definitively determined from the available medical record. It indicates that the injury could be accidental, self-inflicted with suicidal intent, or inflicted by another person, but the circumstances remain unclear.

Use this code when a patient presents with a cutting or piercing injury and the documentation explicitly states that the intent (accidental, suicidal, or assault) is "undetermined" or "unspecified." This code is appropriate when the provider cannot ascertain the external cause of the injury based on the patient's history or physical findings.

• Do not use this code if the documentation clearly indicates an accidental, self-inflicted, or assaultive intent; instead, use the appropriate E-code for that specific intent.
• Always seek clarification from the provider if the intent is ambiguous but not explicitly stated as "undetermined."
• This code is a last resort for external cause of injury when intent cannot be established.