Injuries to the thorax (S20-S29) ICD-10-CM
The S20–S29 section covers injuries to the thorax with 2,243 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes, of which 1,605 are billable in fiscal year 2026. The section is organized into the 10 code ranges listed below.
Includes
This note appears immediately under a three character code title to further define, or give examples of, the content of the category.
- injuries of breast
- injuries of chest (wall)
- injuries of interscapular area
Type 2 Excludes
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
- burns and corrosions T20 T32
- effects of foreign body in bronchus T17.5
- effects of foreign body in esophagus T18.1
- effects of foreign body in lung T17.8
- effects of foreign body in trachea T17.4
- frostbite T33 T34
- injuries of axilla
- injuries of clavicle
- injuries of scapular region
- injuries of shoulder
- insect bite or sting, venomous T63.4
Code Ranges in This Section 10 ranges · 2,243 codes
The info icon previews the code ranges inside each row and its instructional notations from the official Tabular List.
About the S20–S29 Code Range
ICD-10 codes S20-S29 cover a wide range of injuries to the thorax, including superficial wounds, open wounds, fractures, dislocations, sprains, nerve injuries, blood vessel injuries, heart injuries, and injuries to other intrathoracic organs. These codes are used to specify the type, location, and severity of trauma to the chest area for accurate medical documentation and treatment.
This code range details conditions such as contusions, abrasions, and lacerations of the breast (sometimes called nipple bruised or breast hematoma), as well as open wounds including lacerations, puncture wounds, bites, and traumatic amputations of the breast and thorax. Fractures coded here involve ribs, sternum, and thoracic vertebrae, classified by closed or open fractures with distinctions like wedge compression or burst fractures. Terms like "flail chest" denote multiple rib fractures causing a segment of the chest wall to move independently. Dislocation and sprain codes address thoracic joints and ligaments with examples including traumatic ruptures or subluxations. Nerve injuries cover thoracic spinal nerves, peripheral nerves, and sympathetic nervous system structures. Vascular injuries involve thoracic blood vessels like the aorta, subclavian artery/vein, pulmonary vessels, and intercostal vessels, ranging from minor lacerations to major transections. Also included are detailed codes for heart trauma with or without hemopericardium, and other thoracic organs such as lungs, bronchi, trachea, esophagus, diaphragm, pleura, and thymus. Each condition often has codes indicating initial encounter, subsequent encounter, or sequela, helping track treatment phases precisely. By using synonyms like “stab wound of chest” or “traumatic pneumothorax,” coders can accurately pinpoint the correct code within S20-S29 for detailed thoracic injury cases.
Questions About This Page
How many codes are in the S20-S29 range?
The S20-S29 range contains 2,243 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes in FY 2026. 1,605 of them are billable, and the rest are category headers that organize the section.
What conditions does S20-S29 cover?
The range covers injuries to the thorax. The code ranges listed above break it into groups of related conditions, and each one links to its own page with the full code list.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
