S81
Non-billableOpen wound of knee and lower leg
Open wound of knee and lower leg
This is a header/category code. For billing purposes, use a more specific child code from the list below.
Coding Notes
Excludes 1
Codes that cannot be used together with this code (mutual exclusion)
Excludes 2
Conditions not included here, but the patient may have both
Use Additional Code
Additional codes that should follow this code
Code Also
A second code may be required; sequencing depends on circumstances
- any associated wound infection
7th Character Definitions
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
Child Codes (2)
ICD-11 Equivalents(1)
ICD-11 Equivalents
View full mappingCorresponding ICD-11 codes from the WHO crosswalk mapping
Also Known As / Clinical Terms(1)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for open wound of knee and lower leg?
The ICD-10-CM code for open wound of knee and lower leg is S81. The full clinical description is "Open wound of knee and lower leg". S81 is a non-billable header code. Use a more specific child code for billing purposes.
What does ICD-10 code S81 mean?
ICD-10-CM code S81 represents “Open wound of knee and lower leg”. It is classified under Chapter 19: Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes and is a non-billable header code. Use a more specific child code for billing purposes.
Is S81 a billable code?
No, S81 is a non-billable header code. You need to use one of its more specific child codes for billing. There are 2 child codes under S81.
What chapter is S81 in?
S81 is in Chapter 19: Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (codes S00-T88).
What codes cannot be used with S81?
S81 has Excludes1 notes indicating codes that cannot be used together with it, including: birth trauma (P10-P15); obstetric trauma (O70-O71); open fracture of knee and lower leg (S82.-); and 1 more.
What are the subcategories under S81?
S81 has 2 child codes, including: S81.0 (Open wound of knee), S81.8 (Open wound of lower leg).
Are additional codes required with S81?
Yes, when using S81, also report: any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-).
What are the UMLS CUIs for S81?
S81 is linked to 1 UMLS Concept Unique Identifier: C2860500. The UMLS (Unified Medical Language System) integrates multiple biomedical vocabularies maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
How does S81 relate to ICF functioning codes?
ICF (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) codes describe how conditions like open wound of knee and lower leg affect a person's functioning — body functions, activities, participation, and environmental factors. AutoICD provides ICF Core Sets for 12+ conditions and can map clinical text to ICF categories automatically. Browse the ICF directory to explore functioning codes.
What is the ICD-11 equivalent of S81?
S81 maps to the ICD-11 code: NC91.Z (Open wound of knee or lower leg, unspecified).
Automate ICD-10 Coding With AI
Send clinical text to the AutoICD API and get back structured ICD-10 codes with confidence scores. Integrates into any EHR or billing system in minutes.
Includes SNOMED Clinical Terms® (SNOMED CT®) used by permission of SNOMED International. Includes content from the UMLS Metathesaurus, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.