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Dx

ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

S50.85Superficial foreign body of forearm

Not billable — use a more specific codeRequires 7th character

S50.85 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 3 more specific codes beneath it and add the required 7th character.

Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data

About S50.85

S50.85 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for superficial foreign body of forearm. It belongs to category S50 (superficial injury of elbow and forearm), block S50-S59 (injuries to the elbow and forearm) and chapter 19 (injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 3 subcodes must be used instead.

Within S50.8 (other superficial injuries of forearm), S50.85 is specifically for superficial foreign body of forearm. Related codes cover abrasion of forearm (S50.81), Blister (nonthermal) of forearm (S50.82), external constriction of forearm (S50.84), insect bite (nonvenomous) of forearm (S50.86) and other superficial bite of forearm (S50.87).

Codes in this range require a 7th character: A for initial encounter, D for subsequent encounter and S for sequela. Use placeholder "X" characters to fill any empty positions before the 7th character.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

7th character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S50

  • Ainitial encounter
  • Dsubsequent encounter
  • Ssequela

Coding notes

Applicable toConditions and synonyms classified to this code
  • Splinter in the forearm

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to S50.85.

› From S50 Superficial injury of elbow and forearm
Excludes2
  • superficial injury of wrist and hand (S60.-)

Broader instructions also apply from S50-S59 Injuries to the elbow and forearm and Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

Alphabetic index entries

1 entries

Terms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to S50.85.

Code history

  1. 2016
  2. 2017
  3. 2018
  4. 2019
  5. 2020
  6. 2021
  7. 2022
  8. 2023
  9. 2024
  10. 2025
  11. 2026
  12. 2027
  • FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
  • No changes since FY2016.

Common questions about S50.85

Is S50.85 billable?

No. S50.85 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.