Traumatic urethral stricture

This code signifies a narrowing of the urethra resulting from an injury or trauma. This stricture can impede urine flow and lead to various urinary symptoms, including difficulty urinating, pain, and recurrent infections.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a urethral stricture directly attributable to a past or present traumatic event, such as a pelvic fracture, straddle injury, or iatrogenic injury from catheterization or surgery. The physician's notes should explicitly link the stricture to a traumatic etiology.

• Distinguish from congenital (753.6) or inflammatory (598.0) urethral strictures, which have different etiologies.
• Always look for documentation specifying the cause of the stricture; "urethral stricture" alone is insufficient.
• Consider sequencing with an external cause code (E-code) if the traumatic event is recent and relevant to the current encounter.