T23.239 Burn of second degree of unspecified multiple fingers (nail), not including thumb

ICD-10-CM T23.239: Burn of second degree of unspecified multiple fingers (nail), not including thumb

ICD-10-CM code T23.239 identifies a second-degree burn affecting multiple fingers, excluding the thumb, with laterality unspecified. The terminology record is active and classifies the concept as an injury or poisoning. General clinical literature establishes that second-degree burns involve the superficial dermis, while payer articles illustrate related coding distinctions. 1 2 3

Plain-language overview

A second-degree burn, also known as a superficial partial-thickness burn, affects the superficial layer of the dermis, distinguishing it from superficial first-degree burns that involve only the epidermis. 2

Burn injuries can occur when skin is exposed to heat sources such as flames, hot objects, grease, scalds, chemicals, and electricity, with severity influenced by location, temperature, and exposure duration. 2

What this code represents

The active ICD-10-CM terminology record for T23.239 assigns the preferred name burn of second degree of unspecified multiple fingers (nail), not including thumb, and designates the semantic type as injury or poisoning. 1

Within the ICD-10-CM hierarchy, T23.239 has no narrower concepts and falls under the parent concept T23.23, which covers second-degree burns of multiple fingers (nail), not including the thumb. 1

Coding details

The terminology record for T23.239 includes the published abbreviation burn second degree of unsp mult fngr (nail), not inc thumb, providing an alternate short-form label for the same diagnostic concept. 1

Documentation considerations

Clinical literature emphasizes that accurately classifying burn depth and severity is crucial for determining patient outcomes, guiding management approaches, and establishing an accurate prognosis. 2

What the sources add

While the National Cancer Institute record defines the T23.239 diagnostic terminology, a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services article lists related third-degree finger burn codes, illustrating how payer documents incorporate injury codes into billing contexts. 1 3

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM T23.239 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: Surgical Treatment of Nails (A52998) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
6. Article - Billing and Coding: Outpatient Physical and Occupational Therapy Services (A57067) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.