Specific code 2015 ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 879.8
Open wound(s) (multiple) of unspecified site(s), without mention of complication
  • 2015
  • Billable Thru Sept 30/2015
  • Non-Billable On/After Oct 1/2015

  • ICD-9-CM 879.8 is a billable medical code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis on a reimbursement claim, however, 879.8 should only be used for claims with a date of service on or before September 30, 2015. For claims with a date of service on or after October 1, 2015, use an equivalent ICD-10-CM code (or codes).
Convert to ICD-10-CM: 879.8 converts approximately to:
  • 2015/16 ICD-10-CM S31.000A Unspecified open wound of lower back and pelvis without penetration into retroperitoneum, initial encounter
Approximate Synonyms
  • Abdomen transection
  • Accidental needle stick
  • Accidental needle stick injury
  • Accidental needle stick w body fluid exposure
  • Accidental needle stick with exposure to body fluids
  • Degloving injury
  • Gunshot wound
  • Laceration
  • Laceration - injury
  • Laceration of tendon
  • Open wound
  • Open wound by needle stick, with body fluid exposure
  • Puncture wound
  • Puncture wound - injury
  • Tendon laceration
  • Wound from gunshot
Applies To
  • Multiple open wounds NOS
  • Open wound NOS
ICD-9-CM Volume 2 Index entries containing back-references to 879.8:
  • Avulsion (traumatic) 879.8
    • blood vessel - see Injury, blood vessel, by site
    • cartilage - see also Dislocation, by site
      • knee, current (see also Tear, meniscus) 836.2
      • symphyseal (inner), complicating delivery 665.6
    • diaphragm - see Injury, internal, diaphragm
    • ear - see Wound, open, ear
    • epiphysis of bone - see Fracture, by site
    • external site other than limb - see Wound, open, by site
    • fingernail - see Wound, open, finger
    • fracture - see Fracture, by site
    • genital organs, external - see Wound, open, genital organs
    • head (intracranial) NEC - see also Injury, intracranial, with open intracranial wound
    • internal organ or site - see Injury, internal, by site
    • joint - see also Dislocation, by site
      • capsule - see Sprain, by site
    • ligament - see Sprain, by site
    • limb - see also Amputation, traumatic, by site
      • skin and subcutaneous tissue - see Wound, open, by site
    • muscle - see Sprain, by site
    • nerve (root) - see Injury, nerve, by site
    • scalp - see Wound, open, scalp
    • skin and subcutaneous tissue - see Wound, open, by site
    • symphyseal cartilage (inner), complicating delivery 665.6
    • tendon - see also Sprain, by site
      • with open wound - see Wound, open, by site
    • toenail - see Wound, open, toe(s)
  • Wound, open (by cutting or piercing instrument) (by firearms) (cut) (dissection) (incised) (laceration) (penetration) (perforating) (puncture) (with initial hemorrhage, not internal) 879.8
    • anterior chamber, eye (see also Wound, open, intraocular) 871.9
    • artery - see Injury, blood vessel, by site
    • bladder - see Injury, internal, bladder
    • blood vessel - see Injury, blood vessel, by site
    • brain - see Injury, intracranial, with open intracranial wound
    • canaliculus lacrimalis 870.8
      • with laceration of eyelid 870.2
    • canthus, eye 870.8
      • laceration - see Laceration, eyelid
    • cavernous sinus - see Injury, intracranial
    • cerebellum - see Injury, intracranial
    • cervix - see Injury, internal, cervix
    • ciliary body (eye) (see also Wound, open, intraocular) 871.9
    • conjunctiva - see Wound, open, intraocular
    • cornea (nonpenetrating) (see also Wound, open, intraocular) 871.9
    • Descemet's membrane (see also Wound, open, intraocular) 871.9
    • esophagus (cervical) 874.4
      • complicated 874.5
      • thoracic - see Injury, internal, esophagus
    • extremity
    • eye(s) (globe) - see Wound, open, intraocular
    • eyeball NEC 871.9
      • laceration (see also Laceration, eyeball) 871.4
      • penetrating (see also Penetrating wound, eyeball) 871.7
    • eyelid NEC 870.8
      • laceration - see Laceration, eyelid
    • fallopian tube - see Injury, internal, fallopian tube
    • finger(s) (nail) (subungual) 883.0
    • foot (any part, except toe(s) alone) 892.0
    • genital organs (external) NEC 878.8
      • complicated 878.9
      • internal - see Injury, internal, by site
    • globe (eye) (see also Wound, open, eyeball) 871.9
    • hand (except finger(s) alone) 882.0
    • head NEC 873.8
      • with intracranial injury - see Injury, intracranial
        • due to or associated with skull fracture - see Fracture, skull
      • complicated 873.9
      • scalp - see Wound, open, scalp
    • high-velocity (grease gun) - see Wound, open, complicated, by site
    • incidental to
      • dislocation - see Dislocation, open, by site
      • fracture - see Fracture, open, by site
      • intracranial injury - see Injury, intracranial, with open intracranial wound
      • nerve injury - see Injury, nerve, by site
    • intracranial - see Injury, intracranial, with open intracranial wound
    • intraocular 871.9
      • with
        • partial loss (of intraocular tissue) 871.2
        • prolapse or exposure (of intraocular tissue) 871.1
      • laceration (see also Laceration, eyeball) 871.4
      • penetrating 871.7
        • with foreign body (nonmagnetic) 871.6
      • without prolapse (of intraocular tissue) 871.0
    • iris (see also Wound, open, eyeball) 871.9
    • jaw (fracture not involved) 873.44
      • with fracture - see Fracture, jaw
      • complicated 873.54
    • lacrimal apparatus, gland, or sac 870.8
      • with laceration of eyelid 870.2
    • lens (eye) (alone) (see also Cataract, traumatic) 366.20
      • with involvement of other eye structures - see Wound, open, eyeball
    • mediastinum - see Injury, internal, mediastinum
    • multiple, unspecified site(s) 879.8
      • complicated 879.9
      • lower limb(s) (one or both) (sites classifiable to more than one three-digit category in 890-893) 894.0
      • upper limb(s) (one or both) (sites classifiable to more than one three-digit category in 880-883) 884.0
    • muscle - see Sprain, by site
    • nerve - see Injury, nerve, by site
    • occipital region - see Wound, open, scalp
    • ocular NEC 871.9
      • adnexa 870.9
        • specified region NEC 870.8
      • laceration (see also Laceration, ocular) 871.4
      • muscle (extraocular) 870.3
        • with foreign body 870.4
        • eyelid 870.1
        • intraocular - see Wound, open, eyeball
      • penetrating (see also Penetrating wound, ocular) 871.7
    • ovary - see Injury, internal, pelvic organs
    • parietal region - see Wound, open, scalp
    • scalpel, fetus or newborn 767.8
    • sclera (see also Wound, open, intraocular) 871.9
    • seminal vesicle - see Injury, internal, pelvic organs
    • skin NEC 879.8
    • skull - see also Injury, intracranial, with open intracranial wound
      • with skull fracture - see Fracture, skull
    • spermatic cord (scrotal) 878.2
      • complicated 878.3
      • pelvic region - see Injury, internal, spermatic cord
    • spinal cord - see Injury, spinal
    • subconjunctival - see Wound, open, intraocular
    • subcutaneous NEC 879.8
    • subungual
      • finger(s) (thumb) - see Wound, open, finger
      • toe(s) - see Wound, open, toe
    • thorax, thoracic (external) 875.0
    • thumb (nail) (subungual) 883.0
    • toe(s) (nail) (subungual) 893.0
    • tonsil - see Wound, open, neck
    • trachea (cervical region) 874.02
      • with larynx 874.00
      • complicated 874.12
      • intrathoracic - see Injury, internal, trachea
    • ureter - see Injury, internal, ureter
    • urethra - see Injury, internal, urethra
    • uterus - see Injury, internal, uterus
    • vas deferens - see Injury, internal, vas deferens
ICD-9-CM codes are used in medical billing and coding to describe diseases, injuries, symptoms and conditions. ICD-9-CM 879.8 is one of thousands of ICD-9-CM codes used in healthcare. Although ICD-9-CM and CPT codes are largely numeric, they differ in that CPT codes describe medical procedures and services. Can't find a code? Start at the root of ICD-9-CM, check the 2015 ICD-9-CM Index or use the search engine at the top of this page to lookup any code.