# E928.3 (Accidental human bite)



## vj_tiwari (Aug 19, 2010)

Hi All, 

I need help regarding E928.3 (Accidental human bite). 

Can we use E928.3 for tongue Laceration due to accidently bite while eating or we can use only if human (another person) bite, accidently?

Please help ASAP...Thanks in advance...

Regards,

VJ.


----------



## mitchellde (Aug 19, 2010)

I truely believe that for a bite by one person to another.


----------



## nabernhardt (Apr 5, 2013)

does anyone have a suggestion for when the patient accidentally bites say for example lip and causes a laceration what ecode to use?


----------



## vj_tiwari (Apr 10, 2013)

*Injury codes for human bites, external cause*

Coding Clinic, Fourth Quarter 2000 Page: 61 to 62 Effective with discharges: October 1, 2000  

External Cause of Injury Codes for Human Bites  
In order to more specifically track injuries caused by human bites, codes E928.3 and E968.7 have been created. Prior to October 1, 2000, human bites were included in a broad category that included intentional or homicidal electrical shock, criminal abortion with injury to a child, and homicidal crash of an aircraft. 

Human bites can be caused by either an intentional bite or from a situation where the victim accidentally injures his body on someone else's teeth. Bites are very common, especially among young children. Puncture wounds are common with human bites and may be at high risk for infection. There is also risk of injury to tendons and joints. Bite injuries represent 1% of all emergency department encounters in the United States, and human bites are the third most common following dog and cat bites. Human bites can vary from an uninfected abrasion to cellulitis or osteomyelitis. An estimated 10% of human bite injuries become infected. Management consists of wound care, assessment of risk of disease transmission, antibiotic therapy, and surgical intervention, if necessary. 

E928 Other and unspecified environmental and accidental causes 

New code     E928.3 Human bite 

E968 Assault by other and unspecified means 

New code     E968.7 Human bite 

So, I think E928.8 is the only option for this scenario.


----------

