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S44.8X1A vs S44.8X2A

S44.8X1A (Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter) compared with S44.8X2A (Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter), from the official CMS tabular data. S44.8X1A and S44.8X2A code the same condition on opposite sides.

Relationship

Review

Laterality relationship

S44.8X1A
Right
Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter
S44.8X2A
Left
Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter

Same condition; these differ only in which side is documented.

These codes share a category and title and differ only in the side affected. The documentation decides which applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Source: ICD-10-CM tabular list (laterality variant derived from the code title)

Can these codes be reported together?

Same condition, opposite side. S44.8X1A and S44.8X2A name the same condition on opposite sides of the body.

Same category and title, differing only in which side is affected — the documentation decides which one applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Side by side

S44.8X1AInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, initial encounterS44.8X2AInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationS00-T88 — Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causesS00-T88 — Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
DefinitionInjury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, right arm, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S44.8X1A).Injury of other nerves at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S44.8X2A).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S44The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S44
Includes
injuries of axilla
injuries of scapular region
injuries of axilla
injuries of scapular region

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources