Y65.51 Performance of wrong procedure (operation) on correct patient

ICD-10-CM Code Y65.51: Performance of Wrong Procedure on Correct Patient

ICD-10-CM code Y65.51 designates the performance of a wrong procedure or operation on the correct patient. This active diagnosis concept is assigned the semantic type of Injury or Poisoning. Payers may deny reimbursement for related services when such wrong procedures occur, and providers may be expected to waive associated costs. 1 3

Plain-language overview

Code Y65.51 identifies a medical misadventure where a patient undergoes an incorrect procedure or operation, and the terminology record explicitly titles this event as occurring on the correct patient. 1

What this code represents

The terminology record classifies Y65.51 as an active diagnosis concept with the semantic type of Injury or Poisoning, specifying the performance of a wrong operation on the correct patient. 1

This specific code denotes a narrower concept under the parent category Y65.5, which broadly covers the performance of a wrong procedure or operation during medical care. 1

Coding details

An official coding reference lists Y65.51 as including the implantation of a wrong device into the correct surgical site as a specified clinical scenario for this particular code. 4

The Y65.51 code carries an Excludes1 note for the performance of a correct procedure on the wrong side or body part, directing coders to use Y65.53 for that distinct event. 4

Documentation considerations

Clinical literature highlights that wrong procedures represent preventable surgical errors, prompting the creation of universal protocols involving preoperative verification and surgical time-outs. 2

Coverage and utilization context

A payer policy states that when the wrong surgical procedure is performed on a patient, providers are expected to waive all costs associated with the erroneously performed invasive procedure. 3

One reimbursement policy aligns with federal coverage decisions by explicitly refusing payment for related services associated with wrong surgical or invasive procedures performed on a patient. 3

What the sources add

While terminology records define the code and payer policies establish non-reimbursement rules, clinical literature adds that these wrong procedures are preventable errors addressed by national patient safety goals. 1 2 3

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM Y65.51 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. EH Never Events Reimbursement Policy — emblemhealth.com; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. Coding: ICD-10-CM Section Y62-Y69 — imedicalcode.com; accessed 2026-07-27.