S51Open wound of elbow and forearm

S51 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for open wound of elbow and forearm. It belongs to 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 2 subcodes must be used instead.

To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: S51.0 (elbow) and S51.8 (forearm).

Don't report S51 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: open fracture of elbow and forearm (S52.- with open fracture 7th character) and traumatic amputation of elbow and forearm (S58.-).

The conditions in its Excludes2 note aren't part of S51, but may be coded alongside it if the patient has both: open wound of wrist and hand (S61.-).

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