2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S45.20

Unspecified injury of axillary or brachial vein

ICD-10-CM Code:
S45.20
ICD-10 Code for:
Unspecified injury of axillary or brachial vein
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
    (S00–T88)
    • Injuries to the shoulder and upper arm
      (S40-S49)
      • Injury of blood vessels at shoulder and upper arm level
        (S45)

S45.20 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of unspecified injury of axillary or brachial vein. 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 S45.20 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 Unspecified injury of axillary or brachial vein

Non-specific codes like S45.20 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 unspecified injury of axillary or brachial vein:

  • S45.201 for Unspecified injury of axillary or brachial vein, right side - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.201A for initial encounter - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.201D for subsequent encounter - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.201S for sequela - BILLABLE CODE

  • S45.202 for Unspecified injury of axillary or brachial vein, left side - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.202A for initial encounter - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.202D for subsequent encounter - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.202S for sequela - BILLABLE CODE

  • S45.209 for Unspecified injury of axillary or brachial vein, unspecified side - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.209A for initial encounter - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.209D for subsequent encounter - BILLABLE CODE

  • Use S45.209S for sequela - BILLABLE CODE

Coding Guidelines

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of blood vessels at shoulder and upper arm level (S45). Use the following options for the aplicable episode of care:

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

Index to Diseases and Injuries References

The following annotation back-references for this diagnosis code are found in the injuries and diseases index. The Index to Diseases and Injuries is an alphabetical listing of medical terms, with each term mapped to one or more ICD-10-CM code(s).

Patient Education


Arm Injuries and Disorders

Of the 206 bones in your body, three of them are in your arm: the humerus, radius, and ulna. Your arms are also made up of muscles, joints, tendons, and other connective tissue. Injuries to any of these parts of the arm can occur during sports, a fall, or an accident.

Types of arm injuries include :

  • Tendinitis and bursitis
  • Sprains
  • Dislocations
  • Fractures (broken bones)
  • Nerve problems
  • Osteoarthritis

You may also have problems or injure specific parts of your arm, such as your hand, wrist, elbow, or shoulder.


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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.