ICD-10 Primer, Lesson 5: WTF Codes

Dr. 99

Now that we’re a few lessons in, you must be wondering the same thing: What about those ICD-10 codes that are ludicrous? Whereas the first four lessons covered very common and reasonable codes, this lesson will focus on silly codes, also known as the WTF codes.

How did the WTF codes come to be? Shortly after the completion of ICD-10, the ICD-10 committee decided to stay up late, get drunk – like, amazingly drunk – and challenge themselves to “really think up some crazy stuff.” Let’s take a peek at some of these.

WTF 000.01 – Accident in, on, around or within a bouncy castle, red, initial encounter
WTF 000.02 – Assaulted by clown at midnight, not in carnival, February occurrence
WTF 000.03 – Tripped on pink piano, Steinway brand, piano not in tune
WTF 000.04 – Killed softly by his song, The Fugees’ cover version
WTF 000.05 – Killed softly by his song, original Roberta Flack version
WTF 000.06 – Injured by runaway testicle, left, undescended
WTF 000.07 – Tickled to death during pajama party, Tuesday night, intentional
WTF 000.08 – Injured sustained during arm-wrestling contest, left foot, sequela
WTF 000.09 – Harassed by Yeti
WTF 000.10 – Bitten by Loch Ness Monster, spring (but not during Easter), first encounter
WTF 000.11 – Captured by pterodactyl, awaiting rescue
WTF 000.12 – Trampled by large mutant kitten, white, fluffy, named Queen Meow
WTF 000.13 – Accident in, on, around house while rooting for favorite sports team during playoff run
WTF 000.14 – Accident in, on, around house while rooting for favorite sports team not during playoff run
WTF 000.15 – Injury to left lateral foot after throwing PS4 controller on floor in frustration (not anger)
WTF 000.16 – Tackled by football player (NFL) dressed in a tutu, preseason
WTF 000.17 – Turned into stone looking at Medusa, unintentional, first encounter
WTF 000.18 – Freak throat injury during intense game of hopscotch, the culprit is number 9
WTF 000.19 – Paroxysmal cough due to accidental inhalation of pigeon feces, stroll through park, Sunday
WTF 000.20 – Trampoline on fire on top of iceberg as the place of occurrence of the external cause
WTF 000.21 – External genitalia caught while zipping pair of pants, jeans (not khakis), profuse bleeding
WTF 000.22 – Nuclear holocaust, no one has survived, but still have to bill, last encounter ever
WTF 000.23 – Struck by Zeus’ lightning bolt, electrocuted but not dead, sequela
WTF 000.24 – Closed fracture of left humerus due to steel cage match with The Undertaker
WTF 000.25 – Injury to self-esteem upon encounter with family member, maternal unit, over breakfast
WTF 000.26 – Laceration of foot, left first toe, when caught in door of time travel machine
WTF 000.27 – Stomach ache from binge-eating ice cream since best friend is a jerk, her name is Mary
WTF 000.28 – Abdominal injury sustained while laughing out loud (LOL), joke was a pun
WTF 000.29 – Urinary incontinence sustained while rolling on floor laughing (ROFL), underwear soaked
WTF 000.30 – Left buttock injury from misaimed dart, bar, first encounter
WTF 000.31 – Asphyxiation due to being trapped in a kangaroo’s pouch, unintentional
WTF 000.32 – Walked into Statue of Liberty
WTF 000.33 – Left wrist injury sustained during wrestling match with long-lost twin
WTF 000.34 – Seizure, generalized tonic-clonic, lasting exactly 33 seconds (not 34 and certainly not 35)
WTF 000.35 – Migraine from toxic exposure to foul-smelling flatus in a closed space (not elevator)
WTF 000.36 – Profuse rectal bleed on Saturday morning due to misuse of a (used) comb
WTF 000.37 – Allergic reaction to feather pen, the feather part (not the pen), mild
WTF 000.38 – Eye pain from rubbing with hot sauce, Frank’s Red Hot, intentional
WTF 000.30 – Hip pain sustained while learning the Macarena, left hip, verse (not chorus)
WTF 000.31 – Misplaced penis
WTF 000.32 – Smoke inhalation from nearby red fire-breathing dragon, accidental
WTF 000.33 – Aspiration from someone else’s vomit, second encounter
WTF 000.34 – Exsanguination due to paper cut, left pinky finger
WTF 000.35 – Food poisoning from hot dog picked up from off the curb, major city (not Manhattan)
WTF 000.36 – Bitten by Decepticon (not Megatron), first encounter
WTF 000.37 – Bitten by Megatron (not Calvin Johnson), first encounter
WTF 000.38 – Abducted by Martian, survived to tell the tale, but rectal probe still present
WTF 000.39 – Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to yo-yo, blue
WTF 000.40 – Mocked by chihuahua, sequela
WTF 000.41 – Injury due to tuba assault, left nipple
WTF 000.42 – Fractured face from irresponsible use of a hammock
WTF 000.43 – Aspermia due to atomic wedgie, tighty whities (not boxers), subsequent encounter
WTF 000.44 – Whiplash while riding on the back of a skateboarding beluga, partly cloudy day
WTF 000.45 – Fall in (into) bucket of Cheetos causing embarrassment, not the first time
WTF 000.46 – Accident to, on or involving Picasso painting
WTF 000.47 – Headache from trauma due to falling cartoon Acme anvil
WTF 000.48 – Intracranial bleed due to blunt trauma from pillow (without pillow cover)
WTF 000.49 – Wormhole into alternate dimension as the place of occurrence of the external cause
WTF 000.50 – Fall due to collision between polkadot cheetah and extraterrestrial, initial encounter