P15: Other birth injuries

P15 refers to Other birth injuries, covering abnormal findings in neonatal screenings or injuries sustained during the birth process affecting the brain, scalp, skeleton, or peripheral nerves.

Symptoms

• Seizures or poor muscle tone – Signs of CNS birth injury (P10, P11)
• Cephalohematoma or scalp swelling – Common scalp birth injuries (P12)
• Fractures of clavicle or long bones – Birth injury to skeleton (P13)
• Brachial plexus palsy – Peripheral nerve injury (P14)
• Positive abnormal lab results – Detected through neonatal screening (P09)

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of Other birth injuries involves thorough newborn physical examinations, imaging studies like cranial ultrasound, MRI or CT scans for suspected brain injuries, X-rays for skeletal injuries, nerve conduction studies, and newborn screening panels for metabolic or genetic conditions.

ICD10 Code Usage

ICD10 code P15 is used by neonatologists, pediatricians, NICU teams, and maternal-fetal medicine specialists to document birth trauma outcomes or abnormal findings requiring urgent or specialized care in the neonatal period.

Related Codes

• P09 – Abnormal findings on neonatal screening
• P10 – Intracranial laceration and hemorrhage due to birth injury
• P11 – Other birth injuries to central nervous system
• P12 – Birth injury to scalp
• P13 – Birth injury to skeleton
• P14 – Birth injury to peripheral nervous system

FAQs

Q1: What is ICD10 code P15?
A: It refers to Other birth injuries, encompassing birth-related injuries or abnormalities found during neonatal screening procedures.

Q2: How serious is intracranial hemorrhage due to birth injury (P10)?
A: It can range from mild, resolving on its own, to severe cases requiring neurosurgical intervention and intensive monitoring.

Q3: What conditions are screened under neonatal screening (P09)?
A: Conditions like congenital hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria (PKU), cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell disease are commonly included.

Q4: How are skeletal birth injuries (P13) managed?
A: Management often includes immobilization, physical therapy, and monitoring for normal healing unless surgical intervention is needed.

Q5: Can peripheral nerve injuries from birth trauma (P14) recover fully?
A: Many mild cases resolve with physical therapy, but severe injuries may result in long-term motor deficits.

Conclusion

ICD10 code P15 is crucial for documenting Other birth injuries, supporting early interventions and improving outcomes for newborns affected by traumatic or metabolic complications discovered at birth.