Z18

Retained foreign body fragments

Non-billable header

Z18 is a non-billable header code. Use one of the more specific codes below.

Inclusion terms

Includes

  • embedded fragment (status)
  • embedded splinter (status)
  • retained foreign body status
  • Note: Z codes represent reasons for encounters. A corresponding procedure code must accompany a Z code if a procedure is performed. Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00-Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:
  • Note: (a) When a person who may or may not be sick encounters the health services for some specific purpose, such as to receive limited care or service for a current condition, to donate an organ or tissue, to receive prophylactic vaccination (immunization), or to discuss a problem which is in itself not a disease or injury.
  • Note: (b) When some circumstance or problem is present which influences the person's health status but is not in itself a current illness or injury.

Excludes1

Not coded here — never report together with this code.

  • artificial joint prosthesis status (Z96.6-)
  • foreign body accidentally left during a procedure (T81.5-)
  • foreign body entering through orifice (T15-T19)
  • in situ cardiac device (Z95.-)
  • organ or tissue replaced by means other than transplant (Z96.-, Z97.-)
  • organ or tissue replaced by transplant (Z94.-)
  • personal history of retained foreign body fully removed Z87.821
  • superficial foreign body (non-embedded splinter) - code to superficial foreign body, by site

More specific codes Z18

  • Z18.0Retained radioactive fragmentsHeader
  • Z18.1Retained metal fragmentsHeader
  • Z18.2Retained plastic fragmentsBillable
  • Z18.3Retained organic fragmentsHeader
  • Z18.8Other specified retained foreign bodyHeader
  • Z18.9Retained foreign body fragments, unspecified materialBillable

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