Coding and coverage · ICD-10-CM

S34 › S34.1 › S34.12 › S34.121

S34.121A Incomplete lesion of L1 level of lumbar spinal cord, initial encounter

BillableCMS-HCC V28: HCC 182Chapter 19

7th character A: initial encounter

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Instructional notes

Chapter 19

Excludes2Not included here: the patient may have both; report both when both are present.
Use additional codeAdd a second code for the full picture.
  • code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Notes
  • Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
  • The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

Section S30-S39

Excludes2Not included here: the patient may have both; report both when both are present.
  • 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

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)
Notes
  • 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.
7th charactersThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S34
  • A initial encounter
  • D subsequent encounter
  • S sequela

S34.121

Inclusion terms
  • Incomplete lesion of lumbar spinal cord level 1

Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes · S30-S39 Injuries to the abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine, pelvis and external genitals (S30-S39)

Source: ICD-10-CM FY 2027 code descriptions and tabular list (CMS and CDC National Center for Health Statistics), effective 2026-10-01 through 2027-09-30 · CMS ICD-10 files. HCC mapping: CMS-HCC V28, payment year 2027. As of 2026-11-04.

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