W45Foreign body or object entering through skin

W45 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for foreign body or object entering through skin. It belongs to block W20-W49 (exposure to inanimate mechanical forces) and chapter 20 (external causes of morbidity). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 5 subcodes must be used instead.

To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: W45.0 (skin), W45.3 (skin) and W45.8 (skin).

The conditions in its Excludes2 note aren't part of W45, but may be coded alongside it if the patient has both: contact with hand tools (nonpowered) (powered) (W27-W29), contact with other sharp object(s) (W26.-), contact with sharp glass (W25.-) and struck by objects (W20-W22).

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