S21.1
Open wound of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavity
S21.1 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code header for open wound of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavity. Report a more specific code from it instead. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. The more specific codes under it are S21.10 Unspecified open wound of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavity, S21.11 Laceration without foreign body of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavity, S21.12 Laceration with foreign body of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavity, S21.13 Puncture wound without foreign body of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavity and 2 more. Its coding notes include a Use additional code instruction, a Code also instruction, 1 Excludes1 entry and 13 Excludes2 entries.
7th characters
Every code below needs one of these (defined at S21).
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S21
- Ainitial encounter
- Dsubsequent encounter
- Ssequela
Guidelines tips
From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.
The 7th character depends on whether the patient is in active treatment, not on who sees the patient. An aftercare Z code is not used for injury aftercare.
Each injury gets its own code unless a combination code exists, with the most serious injury first. Superficial injuries at the same site as a more severe injury are not coded. Injuries during medical care are coded as complications.
Use additional code
Add the listed code as a secondary code, if known.
Also from chapter/block level (1 note)
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Code also
Two codes may be needed to describe the condition. This note gives no sequencing order.
Excludes1
Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.
Excludes2
Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.
Also from chapter/block level (13 notes)
- 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)
- birth trauma (P10-P15)
- obstetric trauma (O70-O71)
Includes
Further defines or gives examples of the content of the category.
Also from chapter/block level (3 notes)
- injuries of breast
- injuries of chest (wall)
- injuries of interscapular area
Inclusion terms
Conditions classified to this code.
- Open wound of chest without penetration into thoracic cavity
Notes
Also from chapter/block level (2 notes)
- Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
- The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.
More specific codes under S21.1 6
- S21.10Unspecified open wound of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavityHeader
- S21.11Laceration without foreign body of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavityHeader
- S21.12Laceration with foreign body of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavityHeader
- S21.13Puncture wound without foreign body of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavityHeader
- S21.14Puncture wound with foreign body of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavityHeader
- S21.15Open bite of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavityHeader