ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) code group 0L96 includes procedures performed to drain fluids or gases from tendon structures in the left lower arm and wrist. These ICD-10-PCS codes are used for inpatient documentation when a clinician performs drainage of tendon sheaths or adjacent soft tissues to evacuate accumulated fluid, pus, or other collections. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-PCS 0L96 group is essential for proper inpatient reimbursement, as it captures the specific drainage procedure performed and determines appropriate case mix and payment.

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Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon Drainage Procedure Overview

This procedure group includes drainage operations targeting the tendons of the left lower arm and wrist. Procedures remove fluid or purulent material from tendon sheaths or surrounding soft tissues of the tendon system. The body system targeted is Tendons and accurate ICD-10-PCS coding ensures inpatient records reflect the specific drainage performed and supports correct case mix and payment.

Code Attributes

Character	ICD-10-PCS Category	Code Group Details
0	Section	Medical and Surgical
L	Body System	Tendons
9	Operation	Drainage
6	Body Part	Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Left

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ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

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Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon Drainage Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

Character	ICD-10-PCS Category	Code Group Details
0	Section	Medical and Surgical
L	Body System	Tendons
9	Operation	Drainage
6	Body Part	Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Left

When to Use

Use a code from this group when drainage of a fluid collection involving the left lower arm or wrist tendons is performed during an inpatient encounter. Select the ICD-10-PCS code that matches the drainage approach and the targeted tendon anatomy.

ICD-10-PCS Codes

9 rows

ICD-10-PCS Code	Description
0L9600Z	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon with Drainage Device, Open Approach
0L960ZX	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Open Approach, Diagnostic
0L960ZZ	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Open Approach
0L9630Z	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon with Drainage Device, Percutaneous Approach
0L963ZX	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Percutaneous Approach, Diagnostic
0L963ZZ	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Percutaneous Approach
0L9640Z	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon with Drainage Device, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach
0L964ZX	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach, Diagnostic
0L964ZZ	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach

DRG Codes

12 rows

DRG Code	Description
500	Soft Tissue Procedures with MCC
501	Soft Tissue Procedures with CC
502	Soft Tissue Procedures without CC/MCC
579	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures with MCC
580	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures with CC
581	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures without CC/MCC
907	Other O.R. Procedures for Injuries with MCC
908	Other O.R. Procedures for Injuries with CC
909	Other O.R. Procedures for Injuries without CC/MCC
987	Non-Extensive O.R. Procedures Unrelated to Principal Diagnosis with MCC

Showing 1–10 of 12

Typical Clinical Scenarios

A middle-aged patient presents to the emergency department with rapidly worsening pain, swelling, and fever over the left wrist after a puncture wound; examination and ultrasound suggest an acute purulent tenosynovitis of the flexor tendons with concern for sepsis, necessitating inpatient urgent surgical drainage of the tendon sheath to evacuate pus and control infection. Typical codes: 0L9600Z, 0L9630Z
An elderly patient with chronic rheumatoid tenosynovitis of the left wrist undergoes a planned inpatient procedure to decompress recurrent sterile synovial fluid accumulation within the extensor tendon sheaths that has failed conservative therapy; the operative plan is a percutaneous endoscopic drainage to evacuate fluid and obtain tissue for culture and pathology. Typical codes: 0L9640Z, 0L964ZX
A patient hospitalized after previous open drainage of a left wrist tendon sheath returns with persistent drainage and a suspected retained infectious collection; the operative team performs a repeat open drainage with placement of a drain to evacuate residual purulence and facilitate ongoing drainage. Typical codes: 0L9600Z, 0L960ZZ

Related Codes

0L90-HEAD-AND-NECK-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Head And Neck Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L91-SHOULDER-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Shoulder Tendon Right: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L92-LEFT-SHOULDER-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Shoulder Tendon Left: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L93-UPPER-ARM-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Upper Arm Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L94-LEFT-UPPER-ARM-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Upper Arm Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L95-LOWER-ARM-AND-WRIST-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L97-RIGHT-HAND-TAKING-OR-LETTING-OUT-FLUIDS-HAND-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Hand Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L98-LEFT-HAND-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Hand Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L99-TRUNK-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Trunk Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L9B-TRUNK-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Trunk Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 27

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

9 rows

ICD-10-PCS Code	Description
0L9600Z	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon with Drainage Device, Open Approach
0L960ZX	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Open Approach, Diagnostic
0L960ZZ	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Open Approach
0L9630Z	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon with Drainage Device, Percutaneous Approach
0L963ZX	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Percutaneous Approach, Diagnostic
0L963ZZ	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Percutaneous Approach
0L9640Z	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon with Drainage Device, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach
0L964ZX	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach, Diagnostic
0L964ZZ	Drainage of Left Lower Arm and Wrist Tendon, Percutaneous Endoscopic Approach

DRG Codes

12 rows

DRG Code	Description
500	Soft Tissue Procedures with MCC
501	Soft Tissue Procedures with CC
502	Soft Tissue Procedures without CC/MCC
579	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures with MCC
580	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures with CC
581	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures without CC/MCC
907	Other O.R. Procedures for Injuries with MCC
908	Other O.R. Procedures for Injuries with CC
909	Other O.R. Procedures for Injuries without CC/MCC
987	Non-Extensive O.R. Procedures Unrelated to Principal Diagnosis with MCC

Showing 1–10 of 12

Typical Clinical Scenarios

A middle-aged patient presents to the emergency department with rapidly worsening pain, swelling, and fever over the left wrist after a puncture wound; examination and ultrasound suggest an acute purulent tenosynovitis of the flexor tendons with concern for sepsis, necessitating inpatient urgent surgical drainage of the tendon sheath to evacuate pus and control infection. Typical codes: 0L9600Z, 0L9630Z
An elderly patient with chronic rheumatoid tenosynovitis of the left wrist undergoes a planned inpatient procedure to decompress recurrent sterile synovial fluid accumulation within the extensor tendon sheaths that has failed conservative therapy; the operative plan is a percutaneous endoscopic drainage to evacuate fluid and obtain tissue for culture and pathology. Typical codes: 0L9640Z, 0L964ZX
A patient hospitalized after previous open drainage of a left wrist tendon sheath returns with persistent drainage and a suspected retained infectious collection; the operative team performs a repeat open drainage with placement of a drain to evacuate residual purulence and facilitate ongoing drainage. Typical codes: 0L9600Z, 0L960ZZ

Related Codes

0L90-HEAD-AND-NECK-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Head And Neck Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L91-SHOULDER-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Shoulder Tendon Right: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L92-LEFT-SHOULDER-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Shoulder Tendon Left: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L93-UPPER-ARM-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Upper Arm Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L94-LEFT-UPPER-ARM-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Upper Arm Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L95-LOWER-ARM-AND-WRIST-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L97-RIGHT-HAND-TAKING-OR-LETTING-OUT-FLUIDS-HAND-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Hand Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L98-LEFT-HAND-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Hand Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L99-TRUNK-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Trunk Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

0L9B-TRUNK-TENDON-DRAINAGE

ICD-10-PCS Code For Trunk Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 27

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview policy alerts

Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon Drainage Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon: Procedure Code Group Overview policy alerts

Lower Arm And Wrist Tendon Drainage Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which ICD-10-PCS code group covers drainage of left lower arm and wrist tendons?

What body system and operation are indicated by the 0L96 code group?

What specific procedure approach options are included in the 0L96 codes?

How should accurate coding within 0L96 affect inpatient reimbursement?

Which DRG groups may be related to procedures coded from 0L96?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which ICD-10-PCS code group covers drainage of left lower arm and wrist tendons?

What body system and operation are indicated by the 0L96 code group?

What specific procedure approach options are included in the 0L96 codes?

How should accurate coding within 0L96 affect inpatient reimbursement?

Which DRG groups may be related to procedures coded from 0L96?

References