Smith's fracture of unspecified radius

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 16 more specific codes instead:

S52.549A Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, initial encounter for closed fracture
S52.549B Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, initial encounter for open fracture type I or II
S52.549C Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, initial encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC
S52.549D Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for closed fracture with routine healing
S52.549E Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with routine healing
S52.549F Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with routine healing
S52.549G Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for closed fracture with delayed healing
S52.549H Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with delayed healing
S52.549J Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with delayed healing
S52.549K Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for closed fracture with nonunion
S52.549M Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with nonunion
S52.549N Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with nonunion
S52.549P Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for closed fracture with malunion
S52.549Q Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with malunion
S52.549R Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with malunion
S52.549S Smith's fracture of unspecified radius, 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 Smith's fracture of unspecified radius

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 S52 Fracture of forearm

Seventh character required

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to all codes from category S52

Seventh character values

initial encounter for open fracture NOS

Excludes1 - never coded here

traumatic amputation of forearm (S58.-)

Excludes2 - not included here

fracture at wrist and hand level (S62.-)
periprosthetic fracture around internal prosthetic elbow joint (M97.4)

Note

A fracture not indicated as displaced or nondisplaced should be coded to displaced
A fracture not indicated as open or closed should be coded to closed
The open fracture designations are based on the Gustilo open fracture classification

Inherited from the S50-S59 section Injuries to the elbow and forearm (S50-S59)

Excludes2 - not included here

burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
frostbite (T33-T34)
injuries of wrist and hand (S60-S69)
insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)

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.

Fracture, traumatic > Smith's
Fracture, traumatic > radius > distal end
Fracture, traumatic > radius > lower end > Smith's
Smith's fracture

Codes in the same group

Code	Description	Status
S52.541	Smith's fracture of right radius	Not billable
S52.542	Smith's fracture of left radius	Not billable