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S81.821S vs S81.822S

S81.821S (Laceration with foreign body, right lower leg, sequela) compared with S81.822S (Laceration with foreign body, left lower leg, sequela), from the official CMS tabular data. S81.821S and S81.822S code the same condition on opposite sides.

Relationship

Review

Laterality relationship

S81.821S
Right
Laceration with foreign body, right lower leg, sequela
S81.822S
Left
Laceration with foreign body, left lower leg, sequela

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. S81.821S and S81.822S 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

S81.821SLaceration with foreign body, right lower leg, sequelaS81.822SLaceration with foreign body, left lower leg, sequela
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, right lower leg, sequela is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S81.821S).Laceration with foreign body, left lower leg, sequela is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S81.822S).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S81The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S81

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