2025 ICD-10-CM code W93.0
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Deletion Date: N/A External causes of morbidity - Exposure to excessive cold of man-made origin Chapter 20: External causes of morbidity and mortality Feed
Contact with or inhalation of dry ice.
Modifiers are not applicable to ICD-10 codes.
Medical necessity is established by documenting the patient's symptoms and the physician's diagnosis. The medical record should demonstrate a clear causal link between the dry ice exposure and the resulting injury or illness.The severity of the symptoms should justify the medical care rendered.
The clinical responsibility depends on the type of injury or illness caused by the dry ice exposure. This may involve emergency medicine physicians, pulmonologists, or other specialists, depending on the patient's symptoms and the severity of the exposure.
- Chapter 20: External causes of morbidity and mortality
- W93.0 is under the broader category of W93: Exposure to excessive cold of man-made origin, which is further nested under Chapter 20: External causes of morbidity and mortality.
In simple words: This code is used when someone gets hurt or sick from touching or breathing in dry ice.A doctor will use another code to show exactly what happened (like frostbite or trouble breathing).
This code classifies injuries or adverse effects resulting from contact with or inhalation of dry ice.It's crucial to note that this code is typically used secondary to a code from another chapter specifying the nature of the injury (e.g., frostbite, respiratory distress) sustained as a result of the dry ice exposure.Detailed documentation of the injury and its severity is essential for accurate coding.
Example 1: A patient presents to the emergency room with frostbite on their hands after handling dry ice without proper protective gear.The physician documents the frostbite (e.g., using a code from Chapter 19) and then adds W93.0 to indicate the cause of the frostbite., A worker in a food processing plant inhales dry ice fumes, leading to respiratory irritation and shortness of breath. The physician documents the respiratory issues (using a respiratory code from Chapter 10) and then utilizes W93.0 to identify the cause., A child accidentally ingests dry ice, resulting in severe oral burns and gastrointestinal distress. The physician documents the burns (using codes from Chapter 19) and the gastrointestinal symptoms (using appropriate codes from Chapter 11) and also includes W93.0 to specify the external cause.
Complete documentation is required, including the patient's history of contact with or inhalation of dry ice, description of the symptoms experienced, and details of any resulting injuries or illnesses.The type of exposure (contact vs. inhalation), the duration of exposure, and the specific location of the injuries need to be documented.Images of injuries may also be helpful.
** This code should be used cautiously and only when appropriate to reflect the etiology of the injury or illness.Always ensure accurate documentation to support the coding choice.
- Revenue Code: Revenue codes will vary depending on the specific services provided and the place of service. Consult your local payer guidelines.
- RVU: RVUs are not applicable to ICD-10 codes. RVUs are associated with CPT codes used for procedure and service billing.
- Global Days: Not applicable to ICD-10 codes.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Not applicable to ICD-10 codes.
- Fee Schedule: Not applicable to ICD-10 codes.
- Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Occupational Medicine, Toxicology
- Place of Service:Emergency Room - Hospital, Office, Urgent Care Facility