Exposure to other man-made environmental factors (W99)
The ICD-10 code W99 is used to identify injuries caused by exposure to various man-made environmental factors, such as sudden changes in air pressure experienced in aircraft or during diving. These codes distinguish between initial treatment, follow-up care, and complications arising after the injury.
This section specifically covers incidents like rapid decompression accidents, which may also be referred to as accidents due to sudden loss of aircraft cabin pressure or pressure changes in diving. For medical coders and healthcare professionals, the codes W99.XXXA, W99.XXXD, and W99.XXXS indicate initial encounter, subsequent encounter, and sequela, respectively, for these types of environmental exposures. Understanding these distinctions helps accurately document and track the patient’s clinical course after such unique man-made environmental injuries. Using the correct ICD-10 code for exposure to other man-made environmental factors ensures precise classification of pressure-related accidents, aiding in proper treatment planning and data collection.
External causes of morbidity and mortality (V01–Y99)
Exposure to electric current, radiation and extreme ambient air temperature and pressure (W85-W99)
W99 Exposure to other man-made environmental factors
- W99.XXXA Exposure to other man-made environmental factors, initial encounter
- W99.XXXD Exposure to other man-made environmental factors, subsequent encounter
- W99.XXXS Exposure to other man-made environmental factors, sequela
Exposure to other man-made environmental factors (W99)
Instructional Notations
7th Character Note
Certain ICD-10-CM categories have applicable 7th characters. The applicable 7th character is required for all codes within the category, or as the notes in the Tabular List instruct. The 7th character must always be the 7th character in the data field. If a code that requires a 7th character is not 6 characters, a placeholder X must be used to fill in the empty characters.
- The appropriate 7th character is to be added to code W99
7th Character
Indicates that a seventh character is to be assigned to codes in a subcategory.
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
