S61.32 Laceration with foreign body of finger with damage to nail

ICD-10-CM S61.32: Laceration with foreign body of finger with damage to nail

ICD-10-CM code S61.32 designates an injury involving a laceration with a foreign body of a finger with damage to the nail. The terminology record classifies this active concept under the broader category of open finger wounds with nail damage. General clinical sources establish that nail injuries involve structures like the nail bed and that retained foreign bodies necessitate wound exploration. 1 2 3 5

Plain-language overview

A nail injury involves damage to any part of the nail structure, including the nail plate, the underlying nail bed, the cuticle, and the surrounding skin, which can result from crushing or cutting trauma. 3

The fingernail protects the dorsal surface of the fingertip, acts as a counterforce, increases the sense of touch, and facilitates fine movements, making prompt treatment of trauma important to avoid lasting functional effects. 2

What this code represents

The active ICD-10-CM code S61.32 represents the diagnosis of a laceration with a foreign body of a finger with damage to the nail, and it has no narrower subordinate concepts in the terminology. 1

This specific injury concept falls under the parent category of open wound of other finger with damage to nail, and its semantic type is classified as an injury or poisoning event. 1

Documentation considerations

Clinical evaluation of a fingernail injury includes a thorough physical examination to determine the extent of injury, a comprehensive neurovascular examination, and an assessment of range of motion compared with an uninjured digit. 2

Wounds with a foreign body sensation must be evaluated and explored, and clinicians must consider the possibility of a retained foreign body if a patient presents with an infected wound. 5

Coverage and utilization context

A Medicare billing and coding article references more specific descendant codes for subsequent encounters and sequelae of a laceration with a foreign body of the left middle finger with damage to the nail. 4

What the sources add

While the terminology record defines the diagnostic boundaries of S61.32, clinical literature adds that retained material risk depends on wound contamination, foreign body type, and patient health status. 1 5

Comparing the sources, the terminology record provides the official diagnostic label, whereas clinical references describe the anatomical structures involved and the physical mechanisms that cause such nail injuries. 1 3

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM S61.32 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Approach to nail trauma for primary care physicians — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Nail injuries: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — medlineplus.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. Article - Billing and Coding: Surgical Treatment of Nails (A59028) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. Management of Foreign Bodies in the Skin — aafp.org; accessed 2026-07-27.
6. Nail Bed Injury Treatment & Management — emedicine.medscape.com; accessed 2026-07-27.