S45.10 ICD-10-CM Code: Unspecified injury of brachial artery
Billing Status: NO. This is a clinician non-billable / parent hierarchy grouping in the ICD-10-CM system.
Coding at a Glance
- 7th character
- Required — see the character table on this page
- Tabular directives
- 2 inclusion terms · 6 Excludes2 · 1 code-also instruction
Coding instructions
Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for S45.10 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.
Notes without a marker are published on S45.10 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.
Includes
Conditions the official ICD-10-CM tabular list includes under this code.
- injuries of axilla
- injuries of scapular region
Source: inherited from S40-S49
Excludes2 — Not Included Here
Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.
- injury of subclavian artery (S25.1) inherited from S45Compare S45.10 vs S25.1 →
- injury of subclavian vein (S25.3) inherited from S45Compare S45.10 vs S25.3 →
- burns and corrosions (T20-T32) inherited from S40-S49Compare S45.10 vs T20 →
- frostbite (T33-T34) inherited from S40-S49Compare S45.10 vs T33 →
- injuries of elbow (S50-S59) inherited from S40-S49Compare S45.10 vs S50 →
- insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4) inherited from S40-S49Compare S45.10 vs T63.4 →
Code Also
Additional codes that may be required to fully describe the encounter.
- any associated open wound (S41.-)
Source: inherited from S45
7th Character Guide
"The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S45"
- A — initial encounter
- D — subsequent encounter
- S — sequela
How the encounter character is assigned. “Initial encounter” means the patient is receiving active treatment for the condition — it is not limited to the first visit, and a different or new provider giving active treatment still assigns it. “Subsequent encounter” covers care during the healing or recovery phase after active treatment. “Sequela” is for complications or conditions that arise as a direct result of the original condition.
ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, Section I.C.19.a (paraphrased by MedCoder).
Variant codes in this family
S45.101A, S45.101D, S45.101S, S45.102A, S45.102D, S45.102S, S45.109A, S45.109D
Character meanings are CMS's official 7th-character extensions for this family, as carried in each variant code's official description; variant codes are registry rows. The explanation of how the encounter character is assigned is MedCoder editorial, distinct from the official content above it.
Code Overview
MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.
Decision Points
The directives on this code's own record, as a pre-claim checklist.
- A 7th character applies in this family. Confirm the documented encounter matches the character assigned. See the official 7th-character definitions and this code’s variants
- 1 Code Also note — a second code may apply; the guidelines leave its sequencing to the circumstances of the encounter. See the Code Also notes
- 6 Excludes2 entries — those conditions are not part of this code and may be reported additionally when documented. See the Excludes2 notes
Checklist rows are derived from this code's own official directives; the wording of each check is MedCoder editorial. The official notes themselves are in the sections each row links to.
Verify Before Coding
- Not billable as written — a more specific code is required: S45.101A, S45.101D, S45.101S, S45.102A, S45.102D.
- Requires a 7th character. "The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S45" Options: S45.101A, S45.101D, S45.101S, S45.102A, S45.102D, S45.102S
From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.
Relationships & Classification
Other codes that name S45.10 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.
Referenced by 1 Excludes2 note: S55 — Injury of blood vessels at forearm level (via S45.-).
These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.
Contextual Map
Every relationship of S45.10 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.
Run S45.10 with this related code in Claim Check
Hierarchy
- S00-T88 — Chapter 19: Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88) (S00-T88)[Hierarchy]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
Referenced by Excludes2 notes
- S55 — Injury of blood vessels at forearm level[Excludes2](via S45.-): “injury of brachial vessels (S45.1-S45.2)”— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes · icd10cm-fy2026
Nearest codes (40)
- S45 — Injury of blood vessels at shoulder and upper arm level[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- S45.012D — Laceration of axillary artery, left side, subsequent encounter[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- S45.012S — Laceration of axillary artery, left side, sequela[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- S45.019 — Laceration of axillary artery, unspecified side[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- S45.019A — Laceration of axillary artery, unspecified side, initial encounter[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- S45.019D — Laceration of axillary artery, unspecified side, subsequent encounter[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- S45.019S — Laceration of axillary artery, unspecified side, sequela[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- S45.09 — Other specified injury of axillary artery[Sibling]— CMS ICD-10-CM tabular structure · icd10cm-fy2026
- and 32 more
Change history
- FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016
Common coding questions
Can S45.10 be billed directly?
No. S45.10 (Unspecified injury of brachial artery) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.
Does S45.10 require a 7th character?
Yes. The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S45.
Sources for this page
Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.
- Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
- CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2026 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2025 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
- Claim edits Official source data
- CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v43.1 (April 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
- Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
- CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
- Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder structured relationship
- Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
- Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder explanation
- Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.
Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates
Change history
- FY2016 — October 1, 2015In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoptionUnspecified injury of brachial artery
No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026), and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.
Nearest Codes in This Family
Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to S45.10 in its code family, with their registry titles.
- S45.099 — Other specified injury of axillary artery, unspecified side
- S45.099A — Other specified injury of axillary artery, unspecified side, initial encounter
- S45.099D — Other specified injury of axillary artery, unspecified side, subsequent encounter
- S45.099S — Other specified injury of axillary artery, unspecified side, sequela
- S45.1 — Injury of brachial artery
- S45.101 — Unspecified injury of brachial artery, right side
- S45.101A — Unspecified injury of brachial artery, right side, initial encounter
- S45.101D — Unspecified injury of brachial artery, right side, subsequent encounter
- S45.101S — Unspecified injury of brachial artery, right side, sequela
- S45.102 — Unspecified injury of brachial artery, left side