2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S27

Injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs

ICD-10-CM Code:
S27
ICD-10 Code for:
Injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
    (S00–T88)
    • Injuries to the thorax
      (S20-S29)
      • Injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs
        (S27)

S27 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Unspecified diagnosis codes like S27 are acceptable when clinical information is unknown or not available about a particular condition. Although a more specific code is preferable, unspecified codes should be used when such codes most accurately reflect what is known about a patient's condition. Specific diagnosis codes should not be used if not supported by the patient's medical record.

Specific Coding Applicable to Injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs

Non-specific codes like S27 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs:

  • S27.0 for Traumatic pneumothorax - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.1 for Traumatic hemothorax - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.2 for Traumatic hemopneumothorax - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.3 for Other and unspecified injuries of lung - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.30 for Unspecified injury of lung - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.31 for Primary blast injury of lung - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.32 for Contusion of lung - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.33 for Laceration of lung - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.39 for Other injuries of lung - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.4 for Injury of bronchus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.40 for Unspecified injury of bronchus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.41 for Primary blast injury of bronchus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.42 for Contusion of bronchus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.43 for Laceration of bronchus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.49 for Other injury of bronchus - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.5 for Injury of thoracic trachea - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.50 for Unspecified injury of thoracic trachea - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.51 for Primary blast injury of thoracic trachea - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.52 for Contusion of thoracic trachea - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.53 for Laceration of thoracic trachea - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.59 for Other injury of thoracic trachea - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.6 for Injury of pleura - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.60 for Unspecified injury of pleura - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.63 for Laceration of pleura - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.69 for Other injury of pleura - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.8 for Injury of other specified intrathoracic organs - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.80 for Injury of diaphragm - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.81 for Injury of esophagus (thoracic part) - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.89 for Injury of other specified intrathoracic organs - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S27.9 for Injury of unspecified intrathoracic organ - NON-BILLABLE CODE

Coding Guidelines

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs (S27). Use the following options for the aplicable episode of care:

  • A - initial encounter
  • D - subsequent encounter
  • S - sequela

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Code Also

Code Also
A "code also" note instructs that two codes may be required to fully describe a condition, but this note does not provide sequencing direction.
  • any associated open wound of thorax S21

Type 2 Excludes

Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
  • injury of cervical esophagus S10 S19
  • injury of trachea cervical S10 S19

7th Character Note

7th Character Note
Certain ICD-10-CM categories have applicable 7th characters. The applicable 7th character is required for all codes within the category, or as the notes in the Tabular List instruct. The 7th character must always be the 7th character in the data field. If a code that requires a 7th character is not 6 characters, a placeholder X must be used to fill in the empty characters.
  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S27

7th Character

7th Character
Indicates that a seventh character is to be assigned to codes in a subcategory.
  • A - initial encounter
  • D - subsequent encounter
  • S - sequela

Patient Education


Chest Injuries and Disorders

What is the chest?

The chest is the part of your body between your neck and your abdomen (belly). The medical term for your chest is thorax.

Your chest holds many important structures for breathing, digestion, blood circulation, and other important body functions. These structures include your:

  • Ribs and breastbone
  • Esophagus, the tube between your mouth and stomach
  • Trachea, your windpipe
  • Bronchi, the tubes that carry air from your windpipe to your lungs
  • Lungs
  • Pleura, a thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the inside wall of the chest space
  • Heart and large blood vessels
  • Thymus, a gland that's part of your immune system
  • Nerves

What are chest injuries and disorders?

Chest injuries and disorders are problems that affect any of the organs or structures located in your chest.

There are many types of chest injuries and disorders, for example:

  • Broken ribs
  • Esophagus disorders
  • Swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia
  • Tracheal disorders
  • Bronchial disorders
  • Lung diseases and collapsed lung
  • Pleural disorders
  • Heart diseases
  • Mediastinal diseases, which are tumors, inflammation, and other problems with the structures in the mediastinum, which is the space between your lungs, breastbone, and spine
  • Thoracic aortic aneurysm
  • Thoracic outlet syndrome

Chest injuries may happen from the force of car accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Or the chest may be pierced by a bullet or sharp object. Because your chest holds so many important structures, certain chest injuries may be life-threatening.

How are chest injuries and disorders diagnosed?

Diagnosis of chest injuries or disorders depends on the type of symptoms you're having and whether you've had a chest injury. Injuries are usually obvious, but in most cases, you'll need tests to know how serious an injury is.

There are many types of tests for diagnosing different types of chest injuries and disorders, for example:

  • Diagnostic imaging tests
  • Heart tests
  • Lung function tests
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Pleural fluid analysis
  • Dysphagia tests
  • Biopsy

Treatments will depend on the type of chest injury or disorder you have.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.