Complete lesion of L5 level of lumbar spinal cord

Not billableICD-10-CM diagnosis code.

This code exists but cannot be submitted on its own. It groups the more specific codes beneath it.

A category header for its whole life, FY2016 onwards. It has never been valid for submission on its own.

Submit one of these 3 more specific codes instead:

S34.115A Complete lesion of L5 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter
S34.115D Complete lesion of L5 level of lumbar spinal cord, subsequent encounter
S34.115S Complete lesion of L5 level of lumbar spinal cord, sequela

This code requires a seventh character. See the rule below.

What has happened to this code

Every change the publisher made, from 2014 to now. Entries marked draft are from the pre-implementation releases: ICD-10 took effect on 1 October 2015, so nothing before FY2016 was ever valid on a claim.

FY2014 Added to the draft code set draft Complete lesion of L5 level of lumbar spinal cord

Official coding rules

Published by CDC for FY2027. A rule attached to a category binds every code beneath it, so the rules inherited from this code's ancestors are shown with the code they come from.

Inherited from S34 Injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level

Seventh character required

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S34

Code also

any associated:
fracture of vertebra (S22.0-, S32.0-)
open wound of abdomen, lower back and pelvis (S31.-)
transient paralysis (R29.5)

Note

Code to highest level of lumbar cord injury
Injuries to the spinal cord (S34.0 and S34.1) refer to the cord level and not bone level injury, and can affect nerve roots at and below the level given.

Inherited from the S30-S39 section Injuries to the abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine, pelvis and external genitals (S30-S39)

Excludes2 - not included here

burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
effects of foreign body in anus and rectum (T18.5)
effects of foreign body in genitourinary tract (T19.-)
effects of foreign body in stomach, small intestine and colon (T18.2-T18.4)
frostbite (T33-T34)
insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)

Includes

injuries to the abdominal wall
injuries to the anus
injuries to the buttock
injuries to the external genitalia
injuries to the flank
injuries to the groin

How CDC's index refers to this code

Wording from the official alphabetic index. Much of it appears nowhere in the code description, which is why a search for the everyday phrase so often finds nothing.

Axonotmesis
Neurapraxia
Nerve > injury
Avulsion > nerve
Division > nerve
Contusion > nerve
Stretching, nerve
Laceration > nerve
Section > nerve, traumatic
Compression > nerve > traumatic
Crush, crushed, crushing > nerve
Injury > nerve NEC > lumbar spinal
Injury > nerve NEC > arm > cutaneous
Paralysis, paralytic > traumatic, transient NEC
Paralysis, paralytic > transient > traumatic NEC
Injury > spinal > lumbar > complete lesion > L5 level

Codes in the same group

Code	Description	Status
S34.111	Complete lesion of L1 level of lumbar spinal cord	Not billable
S34.112	Complete lesion of L2 level of lumbar spinal cord	Not billable
S34.113	Complete lesion of L3 level of lumbar spinal cord	Not billable
S34.114	Complete lesion of L4 level of lumbar spinal cord	Not billable
S34.119	Complete lesion of unspecified level of lumbar spinal cord	Not billable