T84.629 ICD-10-CM Code: Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of unspecified bone of leg

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for T84.629 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Notes without a marker are published on T84.629 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

7th Character Guide

"The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T84"

• A — initial encounter
• D — subsequent encounter
• S — sequela

How the encounter character is assigned. “Initial encounter” means the patient is receiving active treatment for the condition — it is not limited to the first visit, and a different or new provider giving active treatment still assigns it. “Subsequent encounter” covers care during the healing or recovery phase after active treatment. “Sequela” is for complications or conditions that arise as a direct result of the original condition.

ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, Section I.C.19.a (paraphrased by MedCoder).

Variant codes in this family

T84.629A, T84.629D, T84.629S

Character meanings are CMS's official 7th-character extensions for this family, as carried in each variant code's official description; variant codes are registry rows. The explanation of how the encounter character is assigned is MedCoder editorial, distinct from the official content above it.

Coder workflow for T84.629

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code T84.629

1. T84.629 is not reportable as written. Select the more specific code beneath it that the documentation supports. Codes are reported to the highest level of specificity the classification provides (Guidelines I.B.2).

   ReviewT84.629A, T84.629D, T84.629S

   See the relationships section · Guide: How to choose an ICD-10-CM code →

2. Unspecified does not mean incorrect. When the record gives no greater specificity, T84.629 may be the appropriate code. Check the record for detail that supports a more specific sibling. An unspecified code is for records that do not provide the detail a more specific code needs; a query, not an assumption, is the route to specificity (Guidelines I.A.9.b, I.B.18).

   ReviewT84.621, T84.622, T84.623, T84.624, T84.625

   See the relationships section · Guide: Other vs unspecified (NEC vs NOS) →

3. A 7th character is required in this family. Confirm the documented encounter: initial (active treatment), subsequent (healing or recovery phase), or sequela. T84.629 is not valid without one. “Initial” means active treatment, not the first visit (Guidelines I.C.19.a).

   See the 7th Character Guide · Guide: 7th characters: initial, subsequent, sequela →

4. Laterality is coded in this family. Confirm the side documented — right, left, or bilateral — and select the matching code (this page’s code: unspecified). The unspecified-side code applies only when the record states no side. Laterality is assigned from the documented side; where a bilateral code exists and both sides are documented, it is used instead of two unilateral codes (Guidelines I.B.13).

   See the relationships section · Guide: Laterality coding →

5. T84.629’s title joins a condition with an associated condition or complication. Confirm each component is documented. Where the classification presumes the link through the “with” convention, only a provider statement that the conditions are unrelated defeats it. A combination code is assigned only when it fully identifies the documented conditions; a required second code for the stage, type or manifestation is still reported when the notes ask for it (Guidelines I.B.9, I.A.15).

   Guide: Combination codes →

Choose the right path

1. Does the documentation support one of the more specific codes beneath T84.629?
   Yes → Select that code and continue the checks below on its own page.
   No → T84.629 cannot be reported as written; query for the specificity its subcategory needs.

   ReviewT84.629A, T84.629D, T84.629S

2. Does the record document the detail a more specific sibling code needs?
   Yes → Review the specific siblings in this subcategory.
   No → Continue — T84.629 is appropriate when the documentation goes no further.

   ReviewT84.621, T84.622, T84.623, T84.624, T84.625

3. Is the side documented?
   Yes → Select the code for the documented side (or the bilateral code when both sides are documented and one exists).
   No → Use the unspecified-side code only when the record states no side; a query is the alternative.
4. Is the encounter phase documented — active treatment, healing or recovery, or a sequela?
   Yes → Assign the matching 7th character; the variant codes are in the 7th Character Guide.
   No → The code is invalid without its 7th character — query for the missing element.

Consider T84.629. Then work the Use Additional Code note, and confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement

Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).

Laterality

Right, left or bilateral as documented; unspecified only when the record states no side (Guidelines I.B.13).

Encounter type

Active treatment, healing or recovery phase, or sequela — the basis of the 7th character (Guidelines I.C.19.a).

The associated condition or complication

Whether the associated condition the title names is documented; the “with” convention presumes some links, and a provider statement that the conditions are unrelated defeats it (Guidelines I.A.15).

The conditions the Use Additional Code note names

Reported with this code when documented; a conditional instruction (“if applicable”, “if known”) applies only when the record supports it.

Any detail beyond this code’s title

What the record states that a more specific sibling code would capture — or its absence, which itself supports the unspecified code.

Official instructions as workflow

• Excludes2 — not part of T84.629(23 notes)

  Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in T84.629. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

  CompareT86, M96.6, Z93, Z43, Z44, R50.82

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.b

• Use Additional Code — after identifying T84.629(4 notes)

  Coding workflow: Check whether the documentation supports the additional code(s) the note names, and report them with T84.629 when it does. Where the instruction is conditional (“if applicable”, “if known”), it applies only when the record documents the condition.

  See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.13

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Indexed Clinical Terms (1)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

• Complication (s) (from) (of), fixation device, internal (orthopedic), infection and inflammation, leg

Don’t confuse T84.629 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of T84.629 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

• T84.629A— Encounter relationship (Review)

  Same underlying diagnosis, different encounter phase.

  The same diagnosis at a different phase of care; one encounter takes one 7th character.

  What moves you there: Documentation of a initial encounter moves the case to T84.629A.

  Full comparison: T84.629 vs T84.629A →

• T84.629D— Encounter relationship (Review)

  Same underlying diagnosis, different encounter phase.

  The same diagnosis at a different phase of care; one encounter takes one 7th character.

  What moves you there: Documentation of a subsequent encounter moves the case to T84.629D.

  Full comparison: T84.629 vs T84.629D →

• T86— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of failure and rejection of transplanted organs and tissues adds T86; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: T84.629 vs T86 →

• M96.6— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of fracture of bone following insertion of orthopedic implant, joint prosthesis or bone plate adds M96.6; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: T84.629 vs M96.6 →

• Z93— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of artificial opening status adds Z93; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: T84.629 vs Z93 →

• Z43— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

  Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

  A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

  What moves you there: Documentation of closure of external stoma adds Z43; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

  Full comparison: T84.629 vs Z43 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Decision Points

The directives on this code's own record, as a pre-claim checklist.

1. A 7th character applies in this family. Confirm the documented encounter matches the character assigned. See the official 7th-character definitions and this code’s variants
2. 4 Use Additional Code instructions — report the named additional code(s) when the documentation supports them. See the Use Additional Code notes
3. 23 Excludes2 entries — those conditions are not part of this code and may be reported additionally when documented. See the Excludes2 notes

Checklist rows are derived from this code's own official directives; the wording of each check is MedCoder editorial. The official notes themselves are in the sections each row links to.

Verify Before Coding

• Not billable as written — a more specific code is required: T84.629A, T84.629D, T84.629S.
• Requires a 7th character. "The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category T84" Options: T84.629A, T84.629D, T84.629S

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name T84.629 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 6 Excludes1 notes across 2 chapters: T85.612 — Breakdown (mechanical) of permanent sutures (via T84.-), T85.622 — Displacement of permanent sutures (via T84.-), T85.692 — Other mechanical complication of permanent sutures (via T84.-), T88.7 — Unspecified adverse effect of drug or medicament (via T84.-), Z47.2 — Encounter for removal of internal fixation device (via T84.6.-), Z97 — Presence of other devices (via T84.-).

These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.

Referenced by 10 Excludes2 notes across 3 chapters: M96 — Intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of musculoskeletal system, not elsewhere classified (via T84.-), M96.6 — Fracture of bone following insertion of orthopedic implant, joint prosthesis, or bone plate (via T84.-), T78 — Adverse effects, not elsewhere classified (via T84.-), T79 — Certain early complications of trauma, not elsewhere classified (via T84.-), T80.2 — Infections following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection (via T84.-), T81 — Complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified (via T84.-), T81.4 — Infection following a procedure (via T84.-), T81.59 — Other complications of foreign body accidentally left in body following procedure (via T84.-), T88 — Other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified (via T84.-), Z96 — Presence of other functional implants (via T84.-).

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

Contextual Map

Every relationship of T84.629 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run T84.629 with these 14 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

• S00-T88 — Chapter 19: Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88) (S00-T88)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• T80-T88 — Complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

• T85.612 — Breakdown (mechanical) of permanent sutures[Excludes1](via T84.-): “mechanical complication of permanent (wire) suture used in bone repair (T84.1-T84.2)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T85.622 — Displacement of permanent sutures[Excludes1](via T84.-): “mechanical complication of permanent (wire) suture used in bone repair (T84.1-T84.2)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T85.692 — Other mechanical complication of permanent sutures[Excludes1](via T84.-): “mechanical complication of permanent (wire) suture used in bone repair (T84.1-T84.2)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T88.7 — Unspecified adverse effect of drug or medicament[Excludes1](via T84.-): “specified adverse effects of drugs and medicaments (A00-R94 and T80-T88.6, T88.8)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• Z47.2 — Encounter for removal of internal fixation device[Excludes1](via T84.6.-): “infection or inflammatory reaction to internal fixation device (T84.6-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• Z97 — Presence of other devices[Excludes1](via T84.-): “complications of internal prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82-T85)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026

Referenced by Excludes2 notes (10)

• M96 — Intraoperative and postprocedural complications and disorders of musculoskeletal system, not elsewhere classified[Excludes2](via T84.-): “complications of internal orthopedic prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T84.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• M96.6 — Fracture of bone following insertion of orthopedic implant, joint prosthesis, or bone plate[Excludes2](via T84.-): “complication of internal orthopedic devices, implants or grafts (T84.-)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T78 — Adverse effects, not elsewhere classified[Excludes2](via T84.-): “complications of surgical and medical care NEC (T80-T88)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T79 — Certain early complications of trauma, not elsewhere classified[Excludes2](via T84.-): “complications occurring during or following medical procedures (T80-T88)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T80.2 — Infections following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection[Excludes2](via T84.-): “infections specified as due to prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82.6-T82.7, T83.5-T83.6, T84.5-T84.7, T85.7)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T81 — Complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified[Excludes2](via T84.-): “complication of prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82-T85)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T81.4 — Infection following a procedure[Excludes2](via T84.-): “infection due to prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (T82.6-T82.7, T83.5-T83.6, T84.5-T84.7, T85.7)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• T81.59 — Other complications of foreign body accidentally left in body following procedure[Excludes2](via T84.-): “obstruction or perforation due to prosthetic devices and implants intentionally left in body (T82.0-T82.5, T83.0-T83.4, T83.7, T84.0-T84.4, T85.0-T85.6)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
• and 2 more

Index entries

• Complication (s) (from) (of), fixation device, internal (orthopedic), infection and inflammation, leg[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2026

Nearest codes (40)

• T84 — Complications of internal orthopedic prosthetic devices, implants and grafts[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• T84.621 — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of left femur[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• T84.621A — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of left femur, initial encounter[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• T84.621D — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of left femur, subsequent encounter[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• T84.621S — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of left femur, sequela[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• T84.622 — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of right tibia[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• T84.622A — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of right tibia, initial encounter[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• T84.622D — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of right tibia, subsequent encounter[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
• and 32 more

Change history

• FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

Common coding questions

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data

CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Claim edits Official source data

CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data

CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page

Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship

Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears

Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation

Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to T84.629 in its code family, with their registry titles.

• T84.624S — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of right fibula, sequela
• T84.625 — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of left fibula
• T84.625A — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of left fibula, initial encounter
• T84.625D — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of left fibula, subsequent encounter
• T84.625S — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of left fibula, sequela
• T84.629A — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of unspecified bone of leg, initial encounter
• T84.629D — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of unspecified bone of leg, subsequent encounter
• T84.629S — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of unspecified bone of leg, sequela
• T84.63 — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of spine
• T84.63XA — Infection and inflammatory reaction due to internal fixation device of spine, initial encounter

View all codes in the T84 family