2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Z18.10

Retained metal fragments, unspecified

ICD-10-CM Code:
Z18.10
ICD-10 Code for:
Retained metal fragments, unspecified
Is Billable?
Yes - Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Factors influencing health status and contact with health services
    (Z00–Z99)
    • Retained foreign body fragments
      (Z18)
      • Retained foreign body fragments
        (Z18)

Z18.10 is a billable diagnosis code used to specify a medical diagnosis of retained metal fragments, unspecified. The code is valid during the current fiscal year for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions from October 01, 2023 through September 30, 2024. The code is exempt from present on admission (POA) reporting for inpatient admissions to general acute care hospitals.

This code describes a circumstance which influences the patient's health status but not a current illness or injury. The code is unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like Z18.10 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:

  • Ear ring embedded in ear lobe
  • Fishing hook foreign body
  • Fishing hook in abdomen
  • Fishing hook in ankle
  • Fishing hook in anterior region of neck
  • Fishing hook in axilla
  • Fishing hook in back
  • Fishing hook in buttock
  • Fishing hook in calf
  • Fishing hook in cheek
  • Fishing hook in chest
  • Fishing hook in dorsum of foot
  • Fishing hook in dorsum of hand
  • Fishing hook in ear region
  • Fishing hook in eye region
  • Fishing hook in face
  • Fishing hook in face
  • Fishing hook in face
  • Fishing hook in face
  • Fishing hook in foot
  • Fishing hook in foot
  • Fishing hook in foot
  • Fishing hook in forehead
  • Fishing hook in genitalia
  • Fishing hook in great toe
  • Fishing hook in groin
  • Fishing hook in hand
  • Fishing hook in hand
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head
  • Fishing hook in head and neck
  • Fishing hook in heel
  • Fishing hook in hip
  • Fishing hook in knee
  • Fishing hook in lip
  • Fishing hook in lower leg
  • Fishing hook in lower leg
  • Fishing hook in mouth
  • Fishing hook in mouth
  • Fishing hook in neck
  • Fishing hook in neck
  • Fishing hook in neck
  • Fishing hook in palm of hand
  • Fishing hook in perineum
  • Fishing hook in pharynx
  • Fishing hook in scalp
  • Fishing hook in shin
  • Fishing hook in shoulder
  • Fishing hook in sole of foot
  • Fishing hook in thigh
  • Fishing hook in thumb
  • Fishing hook in toe
  • Fishing hook in toe
  • Fishing hook in trunk
  • Fishing hook in trunk
  • Fishing hook in trunk
  • Fishing hook in trunk
  • Fishing hook in trunk
  • Fishing hook in trunk
  • Fishing hook in trunk
  • Fishing hook in trunk
  • Fishing hook in wrist
  • Foreign body dermatosis
  • Foreign body in auricle
  • Foreign body in heel
  • Foreign body in heel
  • Foreign body in lip
  • Foreign body in lip
  • Foreign body of breast
  • Metal foreign body in abdomen
  • Metal foreign body in ankle
  • Metal foreign body in anterior region of neck
  • Metal foreign body in axilla
  • Metal foreign body in back
  • Metal foreign body in breast
  • Metal foreign body in buttock
  • Metal foreign body in calf
  • Metal foreign body in cheek
  • Metal foreign body in chest
  • Metal foreign body in chest
  • Metal foreign body in dorsum of foot
  • Metal foreign body in dorsum of hand
  • Metal foreign body in ear region
  • Metal foreign body in ear region
  • Metal foreign body in elbow
  • Metal foreign body in eye region
  • Metal foreign body in foot
  • Metal foreign body in forehead
  • Metal foreign body in genitalia
  • Metal foreign body in great toe
  • Metal foreign body in groin
  • Metal foreign body in hand
  • Metal foreign body in head
  • Metal foreign body in head and neck
  • Metal foreign body in heel
  • Metal foreign body in hip
  • Metal foreign body in knee
  • Metal foreign body in lip
  • Metal foreign body in lower leg
  • Metal foreign body in lower leg
  • Metal foreign body in mouth
  • Metal foreign body in mouth
  • Metal foreign body in neck
  • Metal foreign body in neck
  • Metal foreign body in palm of hand
  • Metal foreign body in perineum
  • Metal foreign body in pharynx
  • Metal foreign body in scalp
  • Metal foreign body in shin
  • Metal foreign body in shoulder
  • Metal foreign body in sole of foot
  • Metal foreign body in thigh
  • Metal foreign body in thumb
  • Metal foreign body in toe
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in trunk
  • Metal foreign body in wrist
  • Reaction to metallic ring, stud and/or infibulata in skin
  • Retained metal fragment foreign body
  • Separated endodontic instrument in root canal of tooth
  • Superficial metal foreign body
  • Zirconium granuloma of skin

Clinical Classification

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Inclusion Terms

Inclusion Terms
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
  • Retained metal fragment NOS

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Code Edits

The Medicare Code Editor (MCE) detects and reports errors in the coding of claims data. The following ICD-10-CM Code Edits are applicable to this code:

  • Unacceptable principal diagnosis - There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.

Present on Admission (POA)

Z18.10 is exempt from POA reporting - The Present on Admission (POA) indicator is used for diagnosis codes included in claims involving inpatient admissions to general acute care hospitals. POA indicators must be reported to CMS on each claim to facilitate the grouping of diagnoses codes into the proper Diagnostic Related Groups (DRG). CMS publishes a listing of specific diagnosis codes that are exempt from the POA reporting requirement. Review other POA exempt codes here.

CMS POA Indicator Options and Definitions

POA IndicatorReason for CodeCMS will pay the CC/MCC DRG?
YDiagnosis was present at time of inpatient admission.YES
NDiagnosis was not present at time of inpatient admission.NO
UDocumentation insufficient to determine if the condition was present at the time of inpatient admission.NO
WClinically undetermined - unable to clinically determine whether the condition was present at the time of inpatient admission.YES
1Unreported/Not used - Exempt from POA reporting. NO

Convert Z18.10 to ICD-9-CM

  • ICD-9-CM Code: V90.10 - Retained metal frag NOS

Patient Education


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. Foreign bodies are more common in small children, who sometimes stick things in their mouths, ears, and noses.

Some foreign bodies, like a small splinter, do not cause serious harm. Inhaled or swallowed foreign bodies may cause choking or bowel obstruction and may require medical care.


[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.