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2025 ICD-10-CM code T23.0

Burn of unspecified degree of wrist and hand.

Always use additional codes to specify the degree, extent, and cause of the burn.A Chapter 20 code is mandatory to clarify the external cause.Appropriate 7th character (A, D, or S) should be added to the Chapter 20 code based on the encounter.

Medical necessity for treatment is established based on the severity and extent of the burn.Appropriate treatment is determined by the burn's depth, size, location, and the patient's overall condition.

The clinical responsibility involves assessing the burn's severity, determining the extent of the injury, identifying the cause, providing appropriate treatment (e.g., wound care, pain management, surgery), and documenting the findings for accurate coding and billing.

IMPORTANT:Additional codes are needed to specify the burn's degree (first, second, or third degree), the extent of body surface area involved (T31-T32), and the external cause (Chapter 20 codes).

In simple words: This code describes a burn on the wrist and hand, where the severity of the burn isn't specified.Doctors will use extra codes to explain how big the burned area is and what caused the burn.

This code classifies a burn of unspecified degree (first, second, or third degree) affecting the wrist and hand.Additional codes from category T31 or T32 should be used to specify the extent of the body surface area involved.An additional external cause code (from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity) is required to identify the source, place, and intent of the burn.

Example 1: A patient presents to the emergency department after accidentally spilling hot coffee on their wrist and hand. The burn is superficial (first-degree) and involves less than 1% of the body surface area.T23.0 would be coded along with a Chapter 20 code to indicate the accident., A patient sustains a deep partial-thickness burn (second-degree) to their wrist and hand while working with a welding torch. The burn covers approximately 5% of their body surface area.T23.0, along with T31.0 (5-9% burn) and an appropriate Chapter 20 code indicating the cause and place of occurrence, is needed., A patient is admitted to the hospital with a full-thickness burn (third-degree) of their wrist and hand after a house fire. The burn is extensive (greater than 10% BSA). The diagnosis would require T23.0, T31.1 (10-19% burn), and an external cause code from Chapter 20, to capture this severe burn.

Detailed description of the burn (location, depth, size/percentage of body surface area affected), mechanism of injury, treatment provided (e.g., wound care, pain management, surgery), and any complications.Documentation must also include the external cause of the injury, which requires a secondary code from Chapter 20.

** Coding should be as specific as possible. If the burn involves multiple body regions, each region should be individually coded.If the burn is caused by more than one external cause (e.g., a combination of heat and chemicals), both causes must be coded using Chapter 20 codes.

  • Payment Status: Active
  • Specialties:Emergency Medicine, Burn Surgery, Plastic Surgery
  • Place of Service:Emergency Room - Hospital, Inpatient Hospital, Office, Ambulatory Surgical Center
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