2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S81.042DPuncture wound with foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter
S81.042D is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for puncture wound with foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter. The 7th character D marks it as a subsequent encounter code, used during routine care in the healing or recovery phase. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 949 through 950. The code is exempt from POA reporting. Coders also document this condition as puncture wound of knee. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Open wounds to limbs, subsequent encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
S81.042D is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Puncture wound of knee
- Puncture wound of knee region with foreign body
- Puncture wound of left knee
- Puncture wound of left knee region with foreign body
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Open wound of knee and lower leg (S81). 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
Foreign Bodies
If you've ever gotten a splinter or had sand in your eye, you've had experience with a foreign body. A foreign body is something that is stuck inside you but isn't supposed to be there. You may inhale or swallow a foreign body, or you may get one from an injury to almost any part of your body.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S81.042D to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S81.042DOverview
Is S81.042D (Puncture wound with foreign body, left knee) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report puncture wound with foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character D in S81.042D mean?
The final character D marks a subsequent encounter: use it for routine care while the puncture wound with foreign body, left knee is healing, after active treatment has ended.
What MS-DRG does S81.042D group to?
When puncture wound with foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 949, 950, with relative weights from 0.6277 to 1.1897 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is S81.042D exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for puncture wound with foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S81.042D?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, puncture wound with foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter converts to ICD-9-CM V58.89 (other specfied aftercare). 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.
