Injury of nerves at shoulder and upper arm level

Instructional notes

Official coding guidelines

From the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027 (CMS and NCHS). Links open the PDF at the right page.

Covers 7th character use and coding of injuries, fractures, burns, drug and toxic effects, abuse and neglect, and complications of care (S00-T88).

• Application of 7th Characters in Chapter 19 (page 77)
• Coding of Injuries (page 78)
• Coding of Traumatic Fractures (page 79)
• Coding of Burns and Corrosions (page 80)
• Adverse Effects, Poisoning, Underdosing and Toxic Effects (page 82)
• Adult and child abuse, neglect and other maltreatment (page 85)
• Complications of care (page 85)

Read Section I.C.19 (page 77)

All codes under S44

S44 can't be used on a claim. Pick a billable code below; grey headings group them.

• S44.0Injury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level
• S44.00Injury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm
• S44.00XAInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, initial encounter
• S44.00XDInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.00XSInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, sequela
• S44.01Injury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, right arm
• S44.01XAInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter
• S44.01XDInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, right arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.01XSInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, right arm, sequela
• S44.02Injury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, left arm
• S44.02XAInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter
• S44.02XDInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.02XSInjury of ulnar nerve at upper arm level, left arm, sequela
• S44.1Injury of median nerve at upper arm level
• S44.10Injury of median nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm
• S44.10XAInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, initial encounter
• S44.10XDInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.10XSInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, sequela
• S44.11Injury of median nerve at upper arm level, right arm
• S44.11XAInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter
• S44.11XDInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, right arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.11XSInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, right arm, sequela
• S44.12Injury of median nerve at upper arm level, left arm
• S44.12XAInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter
• S44.12XDInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.12XSInjury of median nerve at upper arm level, left arm, sequela
• S44.2Injury of radial nerve at upper arm level
• S44.20Injury of radial nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm
• S44.20XAInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, initial encounter
• S44.20XDInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.20XSInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, unspecified arm, sequela
• S44.21Injury of radial nerve at upper arm level, right arm
• S44.21XAInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter
• S44.21XDInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, right arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.21XSInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, right arm, sequela
• S44.22Injury of radial nerve at upper arm level, left arm
• S44.22XAInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter
• S44.22XDInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.22XSInjury of radial nerve at upper arm level, left arm, sequela
• S44.3Injury of axillary nerve
• S44.30Injury of axillary nerve, unspecified arm
• S44.30XAInjury of axillary nerve, unspecified arm, initial encounter
• S44.30XDInjury of axillary nerve, unspecified arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.30XSInjury of axillary nerve, unspecified arm, sequela
• S44.31Injury of axillary nerve, right arm
• S44.31XAInjury of axillary nerve, right arm, initial encounter
• S44.31XDInjury of axillary nerve, right arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.31XSInjury of axillary nerve, right arm, sequela
• S44.32Injury of axillary nerve, left arm
• S44.32XAInjury of axillary nerve, left arm, initial encounter
• S44.32XDInjury of axillary nerve, left arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.32XSInjury of axillary nerve, left arm, sequela
• S44.4Injury of musculocutaneous nerve
• S44.40Injury of musculocutaneous nerve, unspecified arm
• S44.40XAInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, unspecified arm, initial encounter
• S44.40XDInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, unspecified arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.40XSInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, unspecified arm, sequela
• S44.41Injury of musculocutaneous nerve, right arm
• S44.41XAInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, right arm, initial encounter
• S44.41XDInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, right arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.41XSInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, right arm, sequela
• S44.42Injury of musculocutaneous nerve, left arm
• S44.42XAInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, left arm, initial encounter
• S44.42XDInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, left arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.42XSInjury of musculocutaneous nerve, left arm, sequela
• S44.5Injury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level
• S44.50Injury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm
• S44.50XAInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, initial encounter
• S44.50XDInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.50XSInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, sequela
• S44.51Injury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm
• S44.51XAInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter
• S44.51XDInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.51XSInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, sequela
• S44.52Injury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm
• S44.52XAInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter
• S44.52XDInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.52XSInjury of cutaneous sensory nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, sequela
• S44.8Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level
• S44.8XInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level
• S44.8X1Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm
• S44.8X1AInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter
• S44.8X1DInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.8X1SInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, sequela
• S44.8X2Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm
• S44.8X2AInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter
• S44.8X2DInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.8X2SInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, sequela
• S44.8X9Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm
• S44.8X9AInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, initial encounter
• S44.8X9DInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.8X9SInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, sequela
• S44.9Injury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level
• S44.90Injury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm
• S44.90XAInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, initial encounter
• S44.90XDInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.90XSInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, unspecified arm, sequela
• S44.91Injury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm
• S44.91XAInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter
• S44.91XDInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.91XSInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, sequela
• S44.92Injury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm
• S44.92XAInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter
• S44.92XDInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter
• S44.92XSInjury of unspecified nerve at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, sequela

S44 MS-DRGs

As the principal diagnosis, the billable codes under S44 group to these 10 MS-DRGs (v44.0). Which one applies depends on procedures performed, secondary diagnoses (CC/MCC), and the patient's age and discharge status.

• DRG 073 Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Disorders with MCC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 074 Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Disorders without MCC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 091 Other Disorders of Nervous System with MCC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 092 Other Disorders of Nervous System with CC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 093 Other Disorders of Nervous System without CC/MCC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 949 Aftercare with CC/MCC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 950 Aftercare without CC/MCC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 963 Other Multiple Significant Trauma with MCC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 964 Other Multiple Significant Trauma with CC (24 of 72 codes)
• DRG 965 Other Multiple Significant Trauma without CC/MCC (24 of 72 codes)

About the condition

Plain-language background from MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), not coding guidance.

Code history

Valid since FY2016, when ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. No changes since.