T23.171A Burn of first degree of right wrist, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM T23.171A: Burn of first degree of right wrist, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM code T23.171A identifies a first-degree burn located on the right wrist during an initial encounter. The terminology record classifies this concept as an injury or poisoning. General clinical literature establishes that a first-degree burn involves only the epidermis, while coding sources distinguish this specific code from burns of other degrees and laterality. 1 2 4

Plain-language overview

Code T23.171A applies to a first-degree burn on the right wrist for an initial encounter, and general clinical literature states that a superficial first-degree burn involves the epidermis only. 1 2

What this code represents

The terminology record for T23.171A lists the preferred name as Burn of first degree of right wrist, initial encounter, and assigns it a semantic type of Injury or Poisoning. 1

The parent concept for T23.171A is T23.171, which is defined as a burn of first degree of the right wrist, and the record indicates that T23.171A has narrower concepts. 1

Coding details

Code T23.171A is listed alongside T23.172A for a left wrist burn and T23.179A for an unspecified wrist burn, establishing distinct laterality within the first-degree wrist burn category. 4

The code tree separates T23.171A from T23.271A and T23.371A, which represent second-degree and third-degree burns of the right wrist respectively during initial encounters. 4

Documentation considerations

Clinical literature states that accurate burn classification is crucial for optimal treatment and prognosis, and that factors including location, temperature, and duration of exposure influence severity. 2

What the sources add

While the terminology record defines the code's hierarchy and semantic type, the clinical literature provides general burn severity context, and the code tree provides operational distinctions between laterality and encounter characters. 1 2 4

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM T23.171A terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Article - Billing and Coding: Immunizations (A56900) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. ICD-10-CM 2024 | T23 - Burn and corrosion of wrist and hand — unboundmedicine.com; accessed 2026-07-27.