2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S01.81XALaceration without foreign body of other part of head, initial encounter
S01.81XA is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for laceration without foreign body of other part of head, initial encounter. The 7th character A marks it as an initial encounter code, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 604 through 605, 963 through 965. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Any dental condition including traumatic injury; and Open wounds of head and neck, initial encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Complex laceration of chin
- Complex laceration of circumoral region of face
- Complex laceration of forehead
- Contaminated complex laceration of circumoral region of face
- Contaminated complex laceration of forehead
- Contaminated simple laceration of chin
- Contaminated simple laceration of circumoral region of face
- Contaminated simple laceration of forehead
- Contaminated simple laceration of preauricular region of face
- Cut of face
- Cut of forehead
- Facial laceration
- Injury of nasopharynx
- Laceration of chin
- Laceration of forehead
- Laceration of jaw
- Laceration of nasopharynx
- Open wound of chin
- Simple laceration of chin
- Simple laceration of circumoral region of face
- Simple laceration of forehead
- Simple laceration of preauricular region of face
- Stab wound of cheek
- Stab wound of face
- Stab wound of forehead
- Stab wound of head
- Stab wound of head and neck
- Stab wound of neck
- Superficial laceration of face
- Superficial laceration of head
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Open wound of head (S01). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2026, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Wounds and Injuries
An injury is damage to your body. It is a general term that refers to harm caused by accidents, falls, hits, weapons, and more. In the U.S., millions of people injure themselves every year. These injuries range from minor to life-threatening.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S01.81XA to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S01.81XAOverview
Is S01.81XA (Laceration without foreign body of other part of head) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report laceration without foreign body of other part of head, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character A in S01.81XA mean?
The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for laceration without foreign body of other part of head, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.
What MS-DRG does S01.81XA group to?
When laceration without foreign body of other part of head, initial encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 604, 605, 963, 964, 965, with relative weights from 0.9160 to 2.7338 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S01.81XA?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, laceration without foreign body of other part of head, initial encounter converts to ICD-9-CM 873.42 (open wound of forehead), 873.44 (open wound of jaw), and 873.49 (open wound of face NEC). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
