2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S26.021AModerate laceration of heart with hemopericardium, initial encounter
S26.021A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for moderate laceration of heart with hemopericardium, initial encounter. The 7th character A marks it as an initial encounter code, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 314 through 316, 963 through 965. Coders also document this condition as heart injury, open. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Internal organ injury, initial encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Heart injury, open
- Hemopericardium
- Injury of heart with hemopericardium
- Laceration of heart
- Moderate laceration of heart with hemopericardium
- Traumatic hemopericardium
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of heart (S26). 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.
Clinical InformationClinical
Hemopericardium
an accumulation of blood within the pericardial sac.
Patient EducationClinical
Chest Injuries and Disorders
The chest is the part of your body between your neck and your abdomen (belly). The medical term for your chest is thorax.
The full article covers:
- What is the chest?
- What are chest injuries and disorders?
- How are chest injuries and disorders diagnosed?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S26.021A to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S26.021AOverview
Is S26.021A (Moderate laceration of heart with hemopericardium) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report moderate laceration of heart with hemopericardium, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character A in S26.021A mean?
The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for moderate laceration of heart with hemopericardium, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.
What MS-DRG does S26.021A group to?
When moderate laceration of heart with hemopericardium, initial encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 314, 315, 316, 963, 964, 965, with relative weights from 0.6821 to 2.7338 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S26.021A?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, moderate laceration of heart with hemopericardium, initial encounter converts to ICD-9-CM 861.02 (heart laceration-closed). 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.
