ICD-10-CM › V00-Y99 › W20-W49 › W codes › W44

W44

Foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice

Not billableICD-10-CM diagnosis code.

This code exists but cannot be submitted on its own. It groups the more specific codes beneath it.

A category header for its whole life, FY2024 onwards. It has never been valid for submission on its own.

Submit one of these 10 more specific codes instead:

  • W44.8 Other foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.9 Unspecified foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.A Battery entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.B Plastic entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.C Glass entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.D Magnetic metal entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.E Non-magnetic metal entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.F Objects of natural or organic material entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.G Other non-organic objects entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)
  • W44.H Other sharp object entering into or through a natural orifice (also a header)

This code requires a seventh character. See the rule below.

What has happened to this code

Every change the publisher made, from 2007 to now. Entries marked draft are from the pre-implementation releases: ICD-10 took effect on 1 October 2015, so nothing before FY2016 was ever valid on a claim.

  1. FY2007 Added to the draft code set draft deactivated. See T15-T19
  2. FY2010 Removed from the draft draft
  3. FY2024 Added to the code set Foreign body entering into or through a natural orifice

Official coding rules

Published by CDC for FY2027. A rule attached to a category binds every code beneath it, so the rules inherited from this code's ancestors are shown with the code they come from.

This code

Seventh character required

  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category W44

Excludes2 - not included here

  • contact with other sharp objects (W26)
  • contact with sharp glass (W25)
  • foreign body or object entering through skin (W45)

Inherited from the W20-W49 section Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces (W20-W49)

Excludes1 - never coded here

  • assault (X92-Y09)
  • contact or collision with animals or persons (W50-W64)
  • exposure to inanimate mechanical forces involving military or war operations (Y36.-, Y37.-)
  • intentional self-harm (X71-X83)