2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S02.91XSUnspecified fracture of skull, sequela
S02.91XS is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified fracture of skull, sequela. The 7th character S marks it as a sequela code, which reports a problem that remains after the original condition has resolved. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Injury, sequela.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
S02.91XS is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Closed fracture of skull
- Closed fracture of skull with cerebral laceration
- Closed fracture of skull with contusion of cerebrum
- Closed skull fracture with intracranial hemorrhage
- Closed skull fracture with intracranial injury
- Fracture of multiple bones of face
- Fracture of skull
- Fracture of skull and facial bones
- Fractures involving head with neck
- Intraoperative fracture
- Intraoperative skull fracture associated with Mayfield head clamp
- Late effect of fracture of skull AND/OR face bones
- Multiple closed fractures of skull AND/OR face without intracranial injury
- Multiple fractures involving skull and facial bones
- Multiple fractures of skull
- Multiple open fractures of skull
- Open fracture of skull
- Open fracture of skull with contusion of cerebrum
- Open fracture of skull with laceration of cerebrum
- Open skull fracture with intracranial hemorrhage
- Open skull fracture with intracranial injury
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The principles of multiple coding of injuries should be followed in coding fractures. Fractures of specified sites are coded individually by site, to the level of detail furnished by medical record content.
A fracture not indicated as open or closed should be coded to closed. A fracture not indicated whether displaced or not displaced should be coded to displaced.
Initial vs. Subsequent Encounter for Fractures
Traumatic fractures are coded using the appropriate 7th character for initial encounter (A, B, C) while the patient is receiving active treatment for the fracture. The appropriate 7th character for initial encounter should also be assigned for a patient who delayed seeking treatment for the fracture or nonunion.
Fractures are coded using the appropriate 7th character for subsequent care for encounters after the patient has completed active treatment of the fracture and is receiving routine care for the fracture during the healing or recovery phase.
Care for complications of surgical treatment for fracture repairs during the healing or recovery phase should be coded with the appropriate complication codes.
Care of complications of fractures, such as malunion and nonunion, should be reported with the appropriate 7th character for subsequent care with nonunion (K, M, N) or subsequent care with malunion (P, Q, R).
The open fracture designations in the assignment of the 7th character for fractures of the forearm, femur and lower leg, including ankle are based on the Gustilo open fracture classification. When the Gustilo classification type is not specified for an open fracture, the 7th character for open fracture type I or II should be assigned (B, E, H, M, Q).
Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2026, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Fractures
A fracture is a break in a bone. Fractures are usually caused by injuries. Since they can sometimes be serious, it's important to get medical care right away if you think you have a fracture.
The full article covers:
- What is a fracture?
- What are the different types of fractures?
- What causes fractures?
- What are the symptoms of a fracture?
- How are fractures diagnosed?
- What are the treatments for fractures?
- Can fractures be prevented?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S02.91XS to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S02.91XSOverview
Is S02.91XS (Unspecified fracture of skull) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report unspecified fracture of skull, sequela on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character S in S02.91XS mean?
The final character S makes this a sequela code: it reports a lingering problem that remains after the unspecified fracture of skull itself has resolved, not the original event.
Is S02.91XS exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for unspecified fracture of skull, sequela on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S02.91XS?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, unspecified fracture of skull, sequela converts to ICD-9-CM 905.0 (late effec skull/face fx). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
