Alphabetic Index FY2027

S20.17

Other superficial bite of breast

FY2027Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes/S20–S29 Injuries to the thorax

Non-billable headerNot valid on its own. Use one of the more specific codes under it.

S20.17 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code header for other superficial bite of breast. Report a more specific code from it instead. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. The more specific codes under it are S20.171 Other superficial bite of breast, right breast; S20.172 Other superficial bite of breast, left breast and S20.179 Other superficial bite of breast, unspecified breast. Its coding notes include a Use additional code instruction, 1 Excludes1 entry and 13 Excludes2 entries.

7th characters

Every code below needs one of these (defined at S20).

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S20

  • Ainitial encounter
  • Dsubsequent encounter
  • Ssequela

Guidelines tips

From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.

The 7th character depends on whether the patient is in active treatment, not on who sees the patient. An aftercare Z code is not used for injury aftercare.

Guidelines I.C.19.aInjuries: application of 7th charactersRead the official text

Each injury gets its own code unless a combination code exists, with the most serious injury first. Superficial injuries at the same site as a more severe injury are not coded. Injuries during medical care are coded as complications.

Guidelines I.C.19.bCoding of injuriesRead the official text

Use additional code

Add the listed code as a secondary code, if known.

Also from chapter/block level (1 note)
Inherited from Chapter 19 Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
  • code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

Excludes1

Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.

This code

Excludes2

Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.

Also from chapter/block level (13 notes)
Inherited from S20–S29 Injuries to the thorax
  • burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
  • effects of foreign body in bronchus (T17.5)
  • effects of foreign body in esophagus (T18.1)
  • effects of foreign body in lung (T17.8)
  • effects of foreign body in trachea (T17.4)
  • frostbite (T33-T34)
  • injuries of axilla
  • injuries of clavicle
  • injuries of scapular region
  • injuries of shoulder
  • insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)
Inherited from Chapter 19 Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
  • birth trauma (P10-P15)
  • obstetric trauma (O70-O71)

Includes

Further defines or gives examples of the content of the category.

Also from chapter/block level (3 notes)
Inherited from S20–S29 Injuries to the thorax
  • injuries of breast
  • injuries of chest (wall)
  • injuries of interscapular area

Notes

Also from chapter/block level (2 notes)
Inherited from Chapter 19 Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
  • Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
  • The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

Alphabetic Index terms

Terms the official Alphabetic Index lists for this code. 1 entry

More specific codes under S20.17 3