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S61.521A vs S61.522A

S61.521A (Laceration with foreign body of right wrist, initial encounter) compared with S61.522A (Laceration with foreign body of left wrist, initial encounter), from the official CMS tabular data. S61.521A and S61.522A code the same condition on opposite sides.

Relationship

Review

Laterality relationship

S61.521A
Right
Laceration with foreign body of right wrist, initial encounter
S61.522A
Left
Laceration with foreign body of left wrist, initial encounter

Same condition; these differ only in which side is documented.

These codes share a category and title and differ only in the side affected. The documentation decides which applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Source: ICD-10-CM tabular list (laterality variant derived from the code title)

Can these codes be reported together?

Same condition, opposite side. S61.521A and S61.522A name the same condition on opposite sides of the body.

Same category and title, differing only in which side is affected — the documentation decides which one applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Side by side

S61.521ALaceration with foreign body of right wrist, initial encounterS61.522ALaceration with foreign body of left wrist, initial encounter
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationS00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88)S00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88)
DefinitionLaceration with foreign body of right wrist, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S61.521A).Laceration with foreign body of left wrist, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S61.522A).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S61The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S61

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources