2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S51.809A

Unspecified open wound of unspecified forearm, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM Code:
S51.809A
ICD-10 Code for:
Unspecified open wound of unspecified forearm, init encntr
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Chronic Condition Indicator: [1]
Not chronic
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
    (S00–T88)
    • Injuries to the elbow and forearm
      (S50-S59)
      • Open wound of elbow and forearm
        (S51)

S51.809A is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of unspecified open wound of unspecified forearm, initial encounter. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024.

S51.809A is an initial encounter code, includes a 7th character and should be used while the patient is receiving active treatment for a condition like unspecified open wound of unspecified forearm. According to ICD-10-CM Guidelines an "initial encounter" doesn't necessarily means "initial visit". The 7th character should be used when the patient is undergoing active treatment regardless if new or different providers saw the patient over the course of a treatment. The appropriate 7th character codes should also be used even if the patient delayed seeking treatment for a condition.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like S51.809A are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Approximate Synonyms

The following clinical terms are approximate synonyms or lay terms that might be used to identify the correct diagnosis code:

  • Barton's fracture
  • Barton's fracture
  • Barton's fracture
  • Colles' fracture
  • Dorsal Barton's fracture
  • Fracture dislocation of radiocarpal joint
  • Fracture dislocation of radiocarpal joint
  • Fracture dislocation of radiocarpal joint
  • Fracture of coronoid process of ulna
  • Fracture of distal end of radius and ulna
  • Fracture of olecranon
  • Fracture of olecranon
  • Fracture of olecranon
  • Fracture of proximal end of radius and ulna
  • Fracture of radial head
  • Fracture of radial neck
  • Fracture of radial styloid
  • Fracture of ulnar styloid
  • Galeazzi fracture dislocation
  • Glass in forearm
  • Injury of branch of median nerve
  • Injury of branch of radial nerve
  • Injury of branch of ulnar nerve
  • Injury of radial artery
  • Injury of radial blood vessel
  • Injury of ulnar artery
  • Injury of ulnar nerve
  • Lesion of sensory branch of radial nerve
  • Monteggia's fracture
  • Multiple open wounds of forearm
  • Open Barton's fracture
  • Open Colles' fracture
  • Open dorsal Barton's fracture
  • Open fracture dislocation radiocarpal joint
  • Open fracture dislocation radiocarpal joint
  • Open fracture dislocation radiocarpal joint
  • Open fracture distal radius, intra-articular, die-punch
  • Open fracture of coronoid process of ulna
  • Open fracture of distal end of radius
  • Open fracture of distal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of distal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of distal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of forearm
  • Open fracture of head of radius
  • Open fracture of lower end of forearm
  • Open fracture of lower end of radius AND ulna
  • Open fracture of neck of radius
  • Open fracture of olecranon process of ulna
  • Open fracture of olecranon process of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of radius
  • Open fracture of proximal end of radius
  • Open fracture of proximal end of radius
  • Open fracture of proximal end of radius
  • Open fracture of proximal end of radius
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of proximal end of ulna
  • Open fracture of radius
  • Open fracture of radius AND ulna
  • Open fracture of radius AND ulna
  • Open fracture of radius AND ulna
  • Open fracture of shaft of bone of forearm
  • Open fracture of shaft of bone of forearm
  • Open fracture of shaft of bone of forearm
  • Open fracture of shaft of bone of forearm
  • Open fracture of shaft of radius
  • Open fracture of shaft of radius
  • Open fracture of shaft of ulna
  • Open fracture of ulna
  • Open fracture of ulna, lower epiphysis
  • Open fracture of ulna, lower epiphysis
  • Open fracture of ulna, styloid process
  • Open fracture of upper end of forearm
  • Open fracture of upper end of radius AND ulna
  • Open fracture olecranon, extra-articular
  • Open fracture olecranon, intra-articular
  • Open fracture proximal radius, comminuted
  • Open fracture proximal ulna, comminuted
  • Open fracture radial styloid
  • Open Galeazzi fracture
  • Open injury of sensory branch of radial nerve
  • Open injury, median nerve, motor branch
  • Open injury, radial artery
  • Open injury, ulnar artery
  • Open injury, ulnar nerve
  • Open injury, ulnar nerve, palmar sensory
  • Open Monteggia's fracture
  • Open multiple fractures of upper end of ulna
  • Open reverse Colles' fracture
  • Open traumatic dislocation distal radioulnar joint
  • Open traumatic dislocation radiocarpal joint
  • Open traumatic dislocation radiocarpal joint
  • Open traumatic dislocation radiocarpal joint
  • Open volar Barton's fracture
  • Open wound of forearm
  • Open wound of forearm with complication
  • Open wound of muscle of forearm
  • Reversed Colles' fracture
  • Skillern's fracture
  • Ulnar blood vessel injury
  • Volar Barton's fracture

Clinical Classification

Clinical Information

  • Colles' Fracture

    fracture of the lower end of the radius in which the lower fragment is displaced posteriorly.
  • Monteggia's Fracture

    fracture in the proximal half of the shaft of the ulna, with dislocation of the head of the radius.
  • Closed Colles' Fracture

    an extra-articular traumatic break in the distal radius with dorsal displacement of the distal fragment that does not involve a break in the adjacent skin.
  • Colles' Fracture

    an extra-articular traumatic break in the distal radius with dorsal displacement of the distal fragment.

Coding Guidelines

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Open wound of elbow and forearm (S51). Use the following options for the aplicable episode of care:

  • A - initial encounter
  • D - subsequent encounter
  • S - sequela

Convert S51.809A to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: 881.00 - Open wound of forearm
    Approximate Flag - The approximate mapping means there is not an exact match between the ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes and the mapped code is not a precise representation of the original code.

Patient Education


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. Injuries can happen at work or play, indoors or outdoors, driving a car, or walking across the street.

Wounds are injuries that break the skin or other body tissues. They include cuts, scrapes, scratches, and punctured skin. They often happen because of an accident, but surgery, sutures, and stitches also cause wounds. Minor wounds usually aren't serious, but it is important to clean them. Serious and infected wounds may require first aid followed by a visit to your doctor. You should also seek attention if the wound is deep, you cannot close it yourself, you cannot stop the bleeding or get the dirt out, or it does not heal.

Other common types of injuries include:

  • Animal bites
  • Bruises
  • Burns
  • Dislocations
  • Electrical injuries
  • Fractures (broken bones)
  • Sprains and strains

[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.

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.