Unspecified fracture of forearm

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:

S52.90 Unspecified fracture of unspecified forearm (also a header)
S52.91 Unspecified fracture of right forearm (also a header)
S52.92 Unspecified fracture of left forearm (also a header)

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

What has happened to this code

Every change the publisher made, from 2012 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.

FY2012 Added to the draft code set draft Unspecified fracture of forearm

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.

Injury > arm > lower
Injury > forearm > fracture
Fracture, traumatic > radius
Fracture, traumatic > forearm

Codes in the same group

Code	Description	Status
S52.0	Fracture of upper end of ulna	Not billable
S52.1	Fracture of upper end of radius	Not billable
S52.2	Fracture of shaft of ulna	Not billable
S52.3	Fracture of shaft of radius	Not billable
S52.5	Fracture of lower end of radius	Not billable
S52.6	Fracture of lower end of ulna	Not billable