Abrasion or friction burn of elbow, forearm, and wrist, infected

This code signifies a superficial injury to the elbow, forearm, or wrist caused by rubbing or scraping, which has subsequently become infected. It indicates a breach in the skin's integrity in these specific anatomical areas, complicated by a bacterial or other microbial invasion.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states an abrasion or friction burn of the elbow, forearm, or wrist, and explicitly mentions signs or symptoms of infection (e.g., pus, erythema, warmth, tenderness, fever localized to the wound). This code is appropriate for both initial and subsequent encounters for the infected injury.

• Ensure the documentation specifies infection; otherwise, an uninfected abrasion code should be used.
• Do not use this code for open wounds that are not explicitly described as abrasions or friction burns (e.g., lacerations, punctures).
• Consider an additional code for the specific infectious organism if identified and documented.