2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S34Injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level

ICD-10-CM Codes›S00–T88›S30-S39›S34

ICD-10-CM S34
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

S34 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as S34.01XA, S34.01XD, S34.01XS, and S34.02XA.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
S34
Billable Status
No — Non-Billable Category
Code Describes
Injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level
Short Description
Inj lower spinl cord and nrv at abd, low back and pelv level
Chapter
S30-S39
Injuries to the abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine, pelvis and external genitals

Code Classification

ChapterS00–T88Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
SectionS30-S39Injuries to the abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine, pelvis and external genitals
CategoryS34Injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level
This CodeS34Injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level

Specific Coding for Inj lower spinl cord and nrv at abd, low back and pelv levelOverview

Non-specific codes like S34 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:

  • S34.0 for Concussion and edema of lumbar and sacral spinal cord

  • S34.01 for Concussion and edema of lumbar spinal cord

  • S34.02 for Concussion and edema of sacral spinal cord

  • S34.1 for Other and unspecified injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord

  • S34.10 for Unspecified injury to lumbar spinal cord

  • S34.11 for Complete lesion of lumbar spinal cord

  • S34.12 for Incomplete lesion of lumbar spinal cord

  • S34.13 for Other and unspecified injury to sacral spinal cord

  • S34.2 for Injury of nerve root of lumbar and sacral spine

  • S34.21 for Injury of nerve root of lumbar spine

  • S34.22 for Injury of nerve root of sacral spine

  • S34.3 for Injury of cauda equina

  • S34.4 for Injury of lumbosacral plexus

  • S34.5 for Injury of lumbar, sacral and pelvic sympathetic nerves

  • S34.6 for Injury of peripheral nerve(s) at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level

  • S34.8 for Injury of other nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level

  • S34.9 for Injury of unspecified nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level

Coding GuidelinesGuidance

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level (S34). 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 2027, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to S34: its own notes plus those printed at block S30-S39 and Chapter 19. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Includes

Further defines, or gives examples of, the content of the category.

From Block S30-S39 Injuries to the abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine, pelvis and external genitals applies to 2,679 codes
  • injuries to the abdominal wall
  • injuries to the anus
  • injuries to the buttock
  • injuries to the external genitalia
  • injuries to the flank
  • injuries to the groin

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Block S30-S39 Injuries to the abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine, pelvis and external genitals applies to 2,679 codes
  • burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
  • effects of foreign body in anus and rectum (T18.5)
  • effects of foreign body in genitourinary tract (T19.-)
  • effects of foreign body in stomach, small intestine and colon (T18.2-T18.4)
  • frostbite (T33-T34)
  • insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)
From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes

Use Additional Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes
  • code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

Code Also

A second code may be needed to fully describe the condition; the note gives no sequencing direction.

  • any associated:
  • fracture of vertebra (S22.0-, S32.0-)
  • open wound of abdomen, lower back and pelvis (S31.-)
  • transient paralysis (R29.5)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

On S34 itself
  • Code to highest level of lumbar cord injury
  • Injuries to the spinal cord (S34.0 and S34.1) refer to the cord level and not bone level injury, and can affect nerve roots at and below the level given.
From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes
  • Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
  • The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

7th Character

Every code in the category takes a 7th character from the listed values, with the placeholder X filling any empty positions before it.

  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S34
Values for category S34 Encounter: Initial, Subsequent, Sequela
  • Ainitial encounter
  • Dsubsequent encounter
  • Ssequela

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name S34, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming S34: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • G83.8 Other specified paralytic syndromes
    paralytic syndromes due to current spinal cord injury-code to spinal cord injury (S14, S24, S34)

Code First 1

These codes say to code first a condition named in the note, and S34 is one of the conditions named.

  • S32 Fracture of lumbar spine and pelvis
    any associated spinal cord and spinal nerve injury (S34.-)

Patient EducationClinical

Spinal Cord Injuries

Your spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that runs down the middle of your back. It carries signals back and forth between your body and your brain. A spinal cord injury disrupts the signals. Spinal cord injuries usually begin with a blow that fractures (breaks) or dislocates your vertebrae, the bone disks that make up your spine.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About S34Overview

Is S34 a billable code?

No. This is a category header that groups the codes for injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for injury of lumbar and sacral spinal cord and nerves at abdomen, lower back and pelvis level need a more specific code from this category, such as S34.01XA, S34.01XD, and S34.01XS.