2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S37.039ALaceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM Codes›S00–T88›S30-S39›S37

ICD-10-CM S37.039A
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

S37.039A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for laceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree, 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 698 through 700, 963 through 965. The code is flagged as an unspecified code, since codes identifying laterality exist in the same family. Coders also document this condition as injury of kidney with open wound into abdominal cavity. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Internal organ injury, initial encounter.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
S37.039A
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Laceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree, initial encounter
Short Description
Laceration of unsp kidney, unspecified degree, init encntr
Parent Code
S37.039
Laceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree

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
CategoryS37Injury of urinary and pelvic organs
This CodeS37.039ALaceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree, initial encounter

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for S37.039A.

Unspecified codes
Unspecified codes exist in the ICD-10-CM classification for circumstances when documentation in the medical record does not provide the level of detail needed to support reporting a more specific code. However, in the inpatient setting, there should generally be very limited and rare circumstances for which the laterality (right, left, bilateral) of a condition is unable to be documented and reported. The following pages contain the list of unspecified ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for which there is a more specific code to identify laterality (right, left, bilateral) within that code family.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Injury of kidney with open wound into abdominal cavity
  • Injury of kidney without open wound into abdominal cavity
  • Laceration of kidney
  • Laceration of kidney with open wound into abdominal cavity
  • Laceration of kidney without open wound into abdominal cavity
  • Open injury of kidney
  • Retroperitoneum injury with open wound into cavity

Coding GuidelinesGuidance

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of urinary and pelvic organs (S37). 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 INJ010
Internal organ injury, initial encounter
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Kidney Diseases

You have two kidneys, each about the size of your fist. They are near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. Inside each kidney there are about a million tiny structures called nephrons. They filter your blood. They remove wastes and extra water, which become urine. The urine flows through tubes called ureters.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert S37.039A to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
866.02 Kidney laceration-closed
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 S37.039AOverview

Is S37.039A (Laceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report laceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What does the 7th character A in S37.039A mean?

The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for laceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.

What MS-DRG does S37.039A group to?

When laceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree, initial encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 698, 699, 700, 963, 964, 965, with relative weights from 0.6899 to 2.7338 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S37.039A?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, laceration of unspecified kidney, unspecified degree, initial encounter converts to ICD-9-CM 866.02 (kidney 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.