W45 — Foreign body or object entering through skin
Is W45 billable?
No — W45 is a non-billable header code. W45 groups more specific codes and cannot be submitted on a claim. A valid ICD-10-CM code must be reported at the highest level of specificity available in its branch. Select one of the 9 billable codes beneath W45.
Billable codes under this header
- W45.0XXANail entering through skin, initial encounter
- W45.0XXDNail entering through skin, subsequent encounter
- W45.0XXSNail entering through skin, sequela
- W45.3XXAFishing hook entering through skin, initial encounter
- W45.3XXDFishing hook entering through skin, subsequent encounter
- W45.3XXSFishing hook entering through skin, sequela
- W45.8XXAOther foreign body or object entering through skin, initial encounter
- W45.8XXDOther foreign body or object entering through skin, subsequent encounter
- W45.8XXSOther foreign body or object entering through skin, sequela
W45 at a glance
| Code | W45 |
|---|---|
| Description | Foreign body or object entering through skin |
| Billable | No — header code |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
How is W45 listed in the External Cause Index?
These are the routes through the External Cause of Injuries Index that lead to W45 — how the injury happened, rather than what the injury was.
- Foreign body › embedded in skin
Excludes2 — not included here
The conditions below are not part of W45, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, W45 and the excluded code may both be reported.
Includes
Conditions classified to W45.
- foreign body or object embedded in skin
- nail embedded in skin
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from W20-W49
The conditions below can never be reported together with W45 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
What codes fall under W45? (3)
How long has W45 existed?
W45 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.