Z18.8
Other specified retained foreign body
Not billable — category only FY2026 2025-10-01 → 2026-09-30
Exclusions 8 never code together
Z18code
Excludes1
- artificial joint prosthesis status (Z96.6-)Z96.6-
- foreign body accidentally left during a procedure (T81.5-)T81.5-
- foreign body entering through orifice (T15-T19)T15-T19
- in situ cardiac device (Z95.-)Z95.-
- organ or tissue replaced by means other than transplant (Z96.-, Z97.-)Z96.-Z97.-
- organ or tissue replaced by transplant (Z94.-)Z94.-
- personal history of retained foreign body fully removed Z87.821Z87.821
- superficial foreign body (non-embedded splinter) - code to superficial foreign body, by site
Excludes1 — never code together. The excluded condition and this one are mutually exclusive.
Instructional notes 6
Z18code
Includes
- embedded fragment (status)
- embedded splinter (status)
- retained foreign body status
Z00-Z99chapter
Notes
- Z codes represent reasons for encounters. A corresponding procedure code must accompany a Z code if a procedure is performed. Categories Z00-Z99 are provided for occasions when circumstances other than a disease, injury or external cause classifiable to categories A00-Y89 are recorded as 'diagnoses' or 'problems'. This can arise in two main ways:Z00-Z99A00-Y89
- (a) When a person who may or may not be sick encounters the health services for some specific purpose, such as to receive limited care or service for a current condition, to donate an organ or tissue, to receive prophylactic vaccination (immunization), or to discuss a problem which is in itself not a disease or injury.
- (b) When some circumstance or problem is present which influences the person's health status but is not in itself a current illness or injury.
Index entries leading here filed at null
No alphabetic index entry points at this code.
Alongside this code 5 same parent — Z18
Subordinate codes 3
Additional references
AHA Coding Clinic® Licence required
Official coding advice for this code. Published by the American Hospital Association. Not included in this installation.