Z18

Header — not billable

Retained foreign body fragments

The ICD-10 code for retained foreign body fragments is Z18.

Z18 is a non-billable header code. It groups related conditions but cannot be used on its own for reimbursement — select one of the 6 more specific codes below.

Clinical notes

Excludes1 (not coded here)

An Excludes1 note is a pure exclusion: the excluded condition and this code should never be reported together, because the two conditions cannot occur at the same time (e.g. a congenital form vs. an acquired form of the same disease).

artificial joint prosthesis status (Z96.6-)
foreign body accidentally left during a procedure (T81.5-)
foreign body entering through orifice (T15-T19)
in situ cardiac device (Z95.-)
organ or tissue replaced by means other than transplant (Z96.-, Z97.-)
organ or tissue replaced by transplant (Z94.-)
personal history of retained foreign body fully removed Z87.821
superficial foreign body (non-embedded splinter) - code to superficial foreign body, by site

Includes

Terms listed here further define or give examples of the conditions grouped under this code — they describe what the code covers, not a separate diagnosis.

embedded fragment (status)
embedded splinter (status)
retained foreign body status

Documentation support

General coding-documentation guidance — not a substitute for payer-specific requirements or professional coding judgment.

•This is a non-billable header code. Documentation must support a more specific child code before this diagnosis can be reported on a claim.
•Confirm the excluded condition(s) listed above are not also present — Excludes1 conditions cannot be coded together with this one.
•As a general rule, code to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation in the medical record.

Clinical notes

Excludes1 (not coded here)

Includes

Documentation support

Child codes under Z18