ICD-9 Code 881.22

Open wound of wrist, with tendon involvement

Not Valid for Submission

881.22 is a legacy non-billable code used to specify a medical diagnosis of open wound of wrist, with tendon involvement. This code was replaced on September 30, 2015 by its ICD-10 equivalent.

ICD-9: 881.22
Short Description:Opn wound wrist w tendon
Long Description:Open wound of wrist, with tendon involvement

Convert 881.22 to ICD-10

The following crosswalk between ICD-9 to ICD-10 is based based on the General Equivalence Mappings (GEMS) information:

  • S66.929A - Lacerat unsp musc/fasc/tend at wrs/hnd lv, unsp hand, init
  • S61.509A - Unspecified open wound of unspecified wrist, init encntr

Code Classification

  • Injury and poisoning (800–999)
    • Open wound of upper limb (880-887)
      • 881 Open wound of elbow, forearm, and wrist

Information for Medical Professionals

Index to Diseases and Injuries

References found for the code 881.22 in the Index of Diseases and Injuries:

    • Wound open by cutting or piercing instrument by firearms cut dissection incised laceration penetration perforating puncture with initial hemorrhage not internal 879.8
      • wrist 881.02
        • with tendon involvement 881.22

Information for Patients


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

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Wrist Injuries and Disorders

Your wrist connects your hand to your forearm. It is not one big joint; it has several small joints. This makes it flexible and allows you to move your hand in different ways. The wrist has two big forearm bones and eight small bones known as carpals. It also has tendons and ligaments, which are connective tissues. Tendons connect muscles to bones. Ligaments connect bones to each other.

What are the types of wrist injuries and disorders?

Some of the more common types of wrist injuries and disorders are:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome, which happens when a nerve that runs from your forearm into your palm becomes squeezed at the wrist
  • Ganglion cysts, which are noncancerous lumps or masses
  • Gout, which is a form of arthritis caused by a buildup of uric acid in your joints
  • Fractures (broken bones)
  • Osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. It is caused by wear and tear of the joints.
  • Sprains and strains, which are injuries to ligaments and injuries to muscles or tendons
  • Tendinitis, inflammation of a tendon, usually due to overuse

Who is at risk for wrist injuries and disorders?

Certain things can put you at higher risk of having a wrist problem, including:

  • Doing sports, which can put you at risk for injuries and puts stress on your wrist. For example, you may fall on your outstretched hand when you are skating or snowboarding. Your wrist could be injured while doing contact sports. And other sports such as gymnastics and basketball can strain your wrists.
  • Doing repetitive wrist motions, such as typing on a keyboard, working on an assembly line, or using power tools.
  • Having certain diseases. For example, rheumatoid arthritis can cause wrist pain.

What are the symptoms of wrist injuries and disorders?

The symptoms of a wrist problem can vary, depending on the problem. A common symptom is wrist pain. Some other possible symptoms include swelling, a decrease in wrist strength, and sudden numbness or tingling.

How are wrist injuries and disorders diagnosed?

Your health care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:

  • A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms
  • A physical exam, including checking your wrist strength and range of motion
  • An x-ray or other imaging test
  • Blood tests

What are the treatments for wrist injuries and disorders?

Treatments for wrist pain depends on the type of injury or disorder. They may include:

  • Resting your wrist
  • Wearing a wrist brace or cast
  • Pain relievers
  • Cortisone shots
  • Physical therapy
  • Surgery

Can wrist injuries and disorders be prevented?

To try to prevent wrist problems, you can:

  • Use wrist guards, when doing sports that put you at risk for wrist injuries
  • In the workplace, perform stretching exercises and take frequent rest breaks. You should also pay attention to ergonomics to make sure that you are using the proper wrist position while working.
  • Make sure that you get enough calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones strong

[Read More]

ICD-9 Footnotes

General Equivalence Map Definitions
The ICD-9 and ICD-10 GEMs are used to facilitate linking between the diagnosis codes in ICD-9-CM and the new ICD-10-CM code set. The GEMs are the raw material from which providers, health information vendors and payers can derive specific applied mappings to meet their needs.

  • Approximate Flag - The approximate flag is on, indicating that the relationship between the code in the source system and the code in the target system is an approximate equivalent.
  • No Map Flag - The no map flag indicates that a code in the source system is not linked to any code in the target system.
  • Combination Flag - The combination flag indicates that more than one code in the target system is required to satisfy the full equivalent meaning of a code in the source system.

Index of Diseases and Injuries Definitions

  • And - The word "and" should be interpreted to mean either "and" or "or" when it appears in a title.
  • Code also note - A "code also" note instructs that two codes may be required to fully describe a condition, but this note does not provide sequencing direction.
  • Code first - Certain conditions have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations due to the underlying etiology. For such conditions, the ICD-10-CM has a coding convention that requires the underlying condition be sequenced first followed by the manifestation. Wherever such a combination exists, there is a "use additional code" note at the etiology code, and a "code first" note at the manifestation code. These instructional notes indicate the proper sequencing order of the codes, etiology followed by manifestation.
  • Type 1 Excludes Notes - A type 1 Excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.
  • Type 2 Excludes Notes - A type 2 Excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
  • Includes Notes - This note appears immediately under a three character code title to further define, or give examples of, the content of the category.
  • Inclusion terms - List of terms is included under some codes. 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.
  • NEC "Not elsewhere classifiable" - This abbreviation in the Alphabetic Index represents "other specified". When a specific code is not available for a condition, the Alphabetic Index directs the coder to the "other specified” code in the Tabular List.
  • NOS "Not otherwise specified" - This abbreviation is the equivalent of unspecified.
  • See - The "see" instruction following a main term in the Alphabetic Index indicates that another term should be referenced. It is necessary to go to the main term referenced with the "see" note to locate the correct code.
  • See Also - A "see also" instruction following a main term in the Alphabetic Index instructs that there is another main term that may also be referenced that may provide additional Alphabetic Index entries that may be useful. It is not necessary to follow the "see also" note when the original main term provides the necessary code.
  • 7th Characters - 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.
  • With - The word "with" should be interpreted to mean "associated with" or "due to" when it appears in a code title, the Alphabetic Index, or an instructional note in the Tabular List. The word "with" in the Alphabetic Index is sequenced immediately following the main term, not in alphabetical order.