2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S14.159SOther incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, sequela

ICD-10-CM Codes›S00–T88›S10-S19›S14

ICD-10-CM S14.159S
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

S14.159S is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, 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

ICD-10-CM Code
S14.159S
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, sequela
Short Description
Oth incmpl lesion at unsp level of cerv spinal cord, sequela
Parent Code
S14.159
Other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord

Code Classification

ChapterS00–T88Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
SectionS10-S19Injuries to the neck
CategoryS14Injury of nerves and spinal cord at neck level
This CodeS14.159SOther incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, sequela

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

S14.159S 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 C1-C4 level with incomplete cord lesion
  • Closed fracture of C1-C4 level with spinal cord injury
  • Closed fracture of C5-C7 level with incomplete spinal cord lesion
  • Closed fracture of C5-C7 level with spinal cord injury
  • Closed spinal fracture with anterior cervical cord lesion, C5-7
  • Closed spinal fracture with posterior cervical cord lesion, C1-4
  • Closed spinal fracture with posterior cervical cord lesion, C5-7
  • Contusion of cervical cord
  • Contusion of cervical vertebral column region
  • Contusion of neck
  • Contusion of spinal cord
  • Incomplete cord syndrome of cervical spinal cord
  • Incomplete spinal cord lesion at C5-C7 level without bone injury
  • Injury at C5-C7 level with spinal cord injury AND without bone injury
  • Injury of cervical spinal cord due to closed fracture of cervical spine
  • Laceration of cervical cord
  • Laceration of spinal cord
  • Open fracture of C1-C4 level with incomplete spinal cord lesion
  • Open fracture of C1-C4 level with spinal cord injury
  • Open spinal fracture with posterior cervical cord lesion, C1-4
  • Posterior cervical spinal cord injury without spinal bone injury, C5-7
  • Posterior cord syndrome due to closed fracture of C1-C4 level
  • Posterior cord syndrome due to closed fracture of C5-C7 level
  • Posterior cord syndrome due to open fracture of C1-C4 level
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spinal cord
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spinal cord due to open dislocation of cervical spine
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spinal cord due to open subluxation of cervical spine
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spine due to closed dislocation of cervical spine
  • Posterior cord syndrome of cervical spine due to closed subluxation of cervical spine
  • Spinal subluxation with cervical cord lesion

Coding GuidelinesGuidance

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of nerves and spinal cord at neck level (S14). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:

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

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.

CCSR INJ073
Injury, sequela
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Neck Injuries and Disorders

Any part of your neck - muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, or nerves - can cause neck problems. Neck pain is very common. Pain may also come from your shoulder, jaw, head, or upper arms.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert S14.159S to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
907.2 Late eff spinal cord inj
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About S14.159SOverview

Is S14.159S a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, sequela on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What does the 7th character S in S14.159S mean?

The final character S makes this a sequela code: it reports a lingering problem that remains after the other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord itself has resolved, not the original event.

Is S14.159S 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 other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, sequela on inpatient claims.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S14.159S?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, other incomplete lesion at unspecified level of cervical spinal cord, sequela converts to ICD-9-CM 907.2 (late eff spinal cord inj). 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.