S81Not billable, use a more specific code below
Open wound of knee and lower leg
In Injuries to the knee and lower leg (S80-S89), chapter 19: Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes
108 billable codes under S81: none are a CC or MCC; none map to an HCC.
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Instructional notes
Excludes1: not coded here, use a different code
Excludes2: not included here, code separately if applicable
- open wound of ankle and foot (S91.-)
Code also: add a code for this too, order depends on the encounter
- any associated wound infection
Also applies, from Injuries to the knee and lower leg (S80-S89)
These notes sit on S80-S89 and apply to every code under it, including S81.
Official coding guidelines
From the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027 (CMS and NCHS). Links open the PDF at the right page.
Covers 7th character use and coding of injuries, fractures, burns, drug and toxic effects, abuse and neglect, and complications of care (S00-T88).
- Application of 7th Characters in Chapter 19 (page 77)
- Coding of Injuries (page 78)
- Coding of Traumatic Fractures (page 79)
- Coding of Burns and Corrosions (page 80)
- Adverse Effects, Poisoning, Underdosing and Toxic Effects (page 82)
- Adult and child abuse, neglect and other maltreatment (page 85)
- Complications of care (page 85)
All codes under S81
S81 can't be used on a claim. Pick a billable code below; grey headings group them.
- S81.0Open wound of knee
- S81.00Unspecified open wound of knee
- S81.001Unspecified open wound, right knee
- S81.001AUnspecified open wound, right knee, initial encounter
- S81.001DUnspecified open wound, right knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.001SUnspecified open wound, right knee, sequela
- S81.002Unspecified open wound, left knee
- S81.002AUnspecified open wound, left knee, initial encounter
- S81.002DUnspecified open wound, left knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.002SUnspecified open wound, left knee, sequela
- S81.009Unspecified open wound, unspecified knee
- S81.009AUnspecified open wound, unspecified knee, initial encounter
- S81.009DUnspecified open wound, unspecified knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.009SUnspecified open wound, unspecified knee, sequela
- S81.01Laceration without foreign body of knee
- S81.011Laceration without foreign body, right knee
- S81.011ALaceration without foreign body, right knee, initial encounter
- S81.011DLaceration without foreign body, right knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.011SLaceration without foreign body, right knee, sequela
- S81.012Laceration without foreign body, left knee
- S81.012ALaceration without foreign body, left knee, initial encounter
- S81.012DLaceration without foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.012SLaceration without foreign body, left knee, sequela
- S81.019Laceration without foreign body, unspecified knee
- S81.019ALaceration without foreign body, unspecified knee, initial encounter
- S81.019DLaceration without foreign body, unspecified knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.019SLaceration without foreign body, unspecified knee, sequela
- S81.02Laceration with foreign body of knee
- S81.021Laceration with foreign body, right knee
- S81.021ALaceration with foreign body, right knee, initial encounter
- S81.021DLaceration with foreign body, right knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.021SLaceration with foreign body, right knee, sequela
- S81.022Laceration with foreign body, left knee
- S81.022ALaceration with foreign body, left knee, initial encounter
- S81.022DLaceration with foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.022SLaceration with foreign body, left knee, sequela
- S81.029Laceration with foreign body, unspecified knee
- S81.029ALaceration with foreign body, unspecified knee, initial encounter
- S81.029DLaceration with foreign body, unspecified knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.029SLaceration with foreign body, unspecified knee, sequela
- S81.03Puncture wound without foreign body of knee
- S81.031Puncture wound without foreign body, right knee
- S81.031APuncture wound without foreign body, right knee, initial encounter
- S81.031DPuncture wound without foreign body, right knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.031SPuncture wound without foreign body, right knee, sequela
- S81.032Puncture wound without foreign body, left knee
- S81.032APuncture wound without foreign body, left knee, initial encounter
- S81.032DPuncture wound without foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.032SPuncture wound without foreign body, left knee, sequela
- S81.039Puncture wound without foreign body, unspecified knee
- S81.039APuncture wound without foreign body, unspecified knee, initial encounter
- S81.039DPuncture wound without foreign body, unspecified knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.039SPuncture wound without foreign body, unspecified knee, sequela
- S81.04Puncture wound with foreign body of knee
- S81.041Puncture wound with foreign body, right knee
- S81.041APuncture wound with foreign body, right knee, initial encounter
- S81.041DPuncture wound with foreign body, right knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.041SPuncture wound with foreign body, right knee, sequela
- S81.042Puncture wound with foreign body, left knee
- S81.042APuncture wound with foreign body, left knee, initial encounter
- S81.042DPuncture wound with foreign body, left knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.042SPuncture wound with foreign body, left knee, sequela
- S81.049Puncture wound with foreign body, unspecified knee
- S81.049APuncture wound with foreign body, unspecified knee, initial encounter
- S81.049DPuncture wound with foreign body, unspecified knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.049SPuncture wound with foreign body, unspecified knee, sequela
- S81.05Open bite of knee
- S81.051Open bite, right knee
- S81.051AOpen bite, right knee, initial encounter
- S81.051DOpen bite, right knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.051SOpen bite, right knee, sequela
- S81.052Open bite, left knee
- S81.052AOpen bite, left knee, initial encounter
- S81.052DOpen bite, left knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.052SOpen bite, left knee, sequela
- S81.059Open bite, unspecified knee
- S81.059AOpen bite, unspecified knee, initial encounter
- S81.059DOpen bite, unspecified knee, subsequent encounter
- S81.059SOpen bite, unspecified knee, sequela
- S81.8Open wound of lower leg
- S81.80Unspecified open wound of lower leg
- S81.801Unspecified open wound, right lower leg
- S81.801AUnspecified open wound, right lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.801DUnspecified open wound, right lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.801SUnspecified open wound, right lower leg, sequela
- S81.802Unspecified open wound, left lower leg
- S81.802AUnspecified open wound, left lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.802DUnspecified open wound, left lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.802SUnspecified open wound, left lower leg, sequela
- S81.809Unspecified open wound, unspecified lower leg
- S81.809AUnspecified open wound, unspecified lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.809DUnspecified open wound, unspecified lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.809SUnspecified open wound, unspecified lower leg, sequela
- S81.81Laceration without foreign body of lower leg
- S81.811Laceration without foreign body, right lower leg
- S81.811ALaceration without foreign body, right lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.811DLaceration without foreign body, right lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.811SLaceration without foreign body, right lower leg, sequela
- S81.812Laceration without foreign body, left lower leg
- S81.812ALaceration without foreign body, left lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.812DLaceration without foreign body, left lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.812SLaceration without foreign body, left lower leg, sequela
- S81.819Laceration without foreign body, unspecified lower leg
- S81.819ALaceration without foreign body, unspecified lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.819DLaceration without foreign body, unspecified lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.819SLaceration without foreign body, unspecified lower leg, sequela
- S81.82Laceration with foreign body of lower leg
- S81.821Laceration with foreign body, right lower leg
- S81.821ALaceration with foreign body, right lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.821DLaceration with foreign body, right lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.821SLaceration with foreign body, right lower leg, sequela
- S81.822Laceration with foreign body, left lower leg
- S81.822ALaceration with foreign body, left lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.822DLaceration with foreign body, left lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.822SLaceration with foreign body, left lower leg, sequela
- S81.829Laceration with foreign body, unspecified lower leg
- S81.829ALaceration with foreign body, unspecified lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.829DLaceration with foreign body, unspecified lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.829SLaceration with foreign body, unspecified lower leg, sequela
- S81.83Puncture wound without foreign body of lower leg
- S81.831Puncture wound without foreign body, right lower leg
- S81.831APuncture wound without foreign body, right lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.831DPuncture wound without foreign body, right lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.831SPuncture wound without foreign body, right lower leg, sequela
- S81.832Puncture wound without foreign body, left lower leg
- S81.832APuncture wound without foreign body, left lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.832DPuncture wound without foreign body, left lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.832SPuncture wound without foreign body, left lower leg, sequela
- S81.839Puncture wound without foreign body, unspecified lower leg
- S81.839APuncture wound without foreign body, unspecified lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.839DPuncture wound without foreign body, unspecified lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.839SPuncture wound without foreign body, unspecified lower leg, sequela
- S81.84Puncture wound with foreign body of lower leg
- S81.841Puncture wound with foreign body, right lower leg
- S81.841APuncture wound with foreign body, right lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.841DPuncture wound with foreign body, right lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.841SPuncture wound with foreign body, right lower leg, sequela
- S81.842Puncture wound with foreign body, left lower leg
- S81.842APuncture wound with foreign body, left lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.842DPuncture wound with foreign body, left lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.842SPuncture wound with foreign body, left lower leg, sequela
- S81.849Puncture wound with foreign body, unspecified lower leg
- S81.849APuncture wound with foreign body, unspecified lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.849DPuncture wound with foreign body, unspecified lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.849SPuncture wound with foreign body, unspecified lower leg, sequela
- S81.85Open bite of lower leg
- S81.851Open bite, right lower leg
- S81.851AOpen bite, right lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.851DOpen bite, right lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.851SOpen bite, right lower leg, sequela
- S81.852Open bite, left lower leg
- S81.852AOpen bite, left lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.852DOpen bite, left lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.852SOpen bite, left lower leg, sequela
- S81.859Open bite, unspecified lower leg
- S81.859AOpen bite, unspecified lower leg, initial encounter
- S81.859DOpen bite, unspecified lower leg, subsequent encounter
- S81.859SOpen bite, unspecified lower leg, sequela
S81 MS-DRGs
As the principal diagnosis, the billable codes under S81 group to these 9 MS-DRGs (v44.0). Which one applies depends on procedures performed, secondary diagnoses (CC/MCC), and the patient's age and discharge status.
- DRG 604 Trauma to the Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast with MCC (60 of 108 codes)
- DRG 605 Trauma to the Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast without MCC (60 of 108 codes)
- DRG 949 Aftercare with CC/MCC (36 of 108 codes)
- DRG 950 Aftercare without CC/MCC (36 of 108 codes)
- DRG 963 Other Multiple Significant Trauma with MCC (36 of 108 codes)
- DRG 964 Other Multiple Significant Trauma with CC (36 of 108 codes)
- DRG 965 Other Multiple Significant Trauma without CC/MCC (36 of 108 codes)
- DRG 913 Traumatic Injury with MCC (12 of 108 codes)
- DRG 914 Traumatic Injury without MCC (12 of 108 codes)
Other codes that refer to S81
Notes on these codes point to S81.
About the condition
Plain-language background from MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), not coding guidance.
Knee Injuries and Disorders
Your knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased, you have knee problems. Knee problems can cause pain and difficulty walking.
Read more about knee injuries and disorders on MedlinePlusLeg Injuries and Disorders
Your legs are made up of bones, blood vessels, muscles, and other connective tissue. They are important for motion and standing. Playing sports, running, falling, or having an accident can damage your legs. Common leg injuries include sprains and strains, joint dislocations, and fractures (broken bones).
Read more about leg injuries and disorders on MedlinePlusCode history
Valid since FY2016, when ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. No changes since.