2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S54.20XSInjury of radial nerve at forearm level, unspecified arm, sequela
S54.20XS is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for injury of radial nerve at forearm level, unspecified arm, 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
S54.20XS 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 injury of radial nerve
- Closed injury of sensory branch of radial nerve
- Injury of branch of radial nerve
- Injury of nerve at forearm level
- Injury of radial nerve
- Injury of radial nerve at forearm level
- Lesion of sensory branch of radial nerve
- Open injury of radial nerve
- Open injury of sensory branch of radial nerve
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of nerves at forearm level (S54). 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.
Patient EducationClinical
Arm Injuries and Disorders
Of the 206 bones in your body, three of them are in your arm: the humerus, radius, and ulna. Your arms are also made up of muscles, joints, tendons, and other connective tissue. Injuries to any of these parts of the arm can occur during sports, a fall, or an accident.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S54.20XS to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S54.20XSOverview
Is S54.20XS (Injury of radial nerve at forearm level, unspecified arm) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report injury of radial nerve at forearm level, unspecified arm, sequela on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character S in S54.20XS mean?
The final character S makes this a sequela code: it reports a lingering problem that remains after the injury of radial nerve at forearm level, unspecified arm itself has resolved, not the original event.
Is S54.20XS 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 injury of radial nerve at forearm level, unspecified arm, sequela on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S54.20XS?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, injury of radial nerve at forearm level, unspecified arm, sequela converts to ICD-9-CM 907.4 (lt eff nerv inj shld/arm). 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.
