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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

S42.40Unspecified fracture of lower end of humerus

Not billable — use a more specific codeRequires 7th character

S42.40 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 3 more specific codes beneath it and add the required 7th character.

Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data

About S42.40

S42.40 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for unspecified fracture of lower end of humerus. It belongs to category S42 (fracture of shoulder and upper arm), block S40-S49 (injuries to the shoulder and upper arm) and chapter 19 (injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 3 subcodes must be used instead.

Within S42.4, choose S42.40 (Unspecified fracture of lower end of humerus) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: simple supracondylar fracture without intercondylar fracture of humerus (S42.41), comminuted supracondylar fracture without intercondylar fracture of humerus (S42.42), fracture (avulsion) of lateral epicondyle of humerus (S42.43), fracture (avulsion) of medial epicondyle of humerus (S42.44), fracture of lateral condyle of humerus (S42.45), fracture of medial condyle of humerus (S42.46), transcondylar fracture of humerus (S42.47), Torus fracture of lower end of humerus (S42.48) and 1 more.

Codes in this range require a 7th character: A for initial encounter for closed fracture, B for initial encounter for open fracture, D for subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing, G for subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing, K for subsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion, P for subsequent encounter for fracture with malunion and 1 more. Use placeholder "X" characters to fill any empty positions before the 7th character.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

7th character

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to all codes from category S42

  • Ainitial encounter for closed fracture
  • Binitial encounter for open fracture
  • Dsubsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
  • Gsubsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
  • Ksubsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
  • Psubsequent encounter for fracture with malunion
  • Ssequela

Coding notes

Applicable toConditions and synonyms classified to this code
  • Fracture of elbow NOS

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to S42.40.

› From S42.4 Fracture of lower end of humerus
Excludes2
  • fracture of shaft of humerus (S42.3-)
  • physeal fracture of lower end of humerus (S49.1-)
› From S42 Fracture of shoulder and upper arm
Note
  • A fracture not indicated as displaced or nondisplaced should be coded to displaced
  • A fracture not indicated as open or closed should be coded to closed
Excludes1
  • traumatic amputation of shoulder and upper arm (S48.-)
Excludes2
  • periprosthetic fracture around internal prosthetic shoulder joint (M97.3)

Broader instructions also apply from S40-S49 Injuries to the shoulder and upper arm and Chapter 19: Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

Alphabetic index entries

2 entries

Terms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to S42.40.

Codes whose notes reference S42.40

Code history

  1. 2016
  2. 2017
  3. 2018
  4. 2019
  5. 2020
  6. 2021
  7. 2022
  8. 2023
  9. 2024
  10. 2025
  11. 2026
  12. 2027
  • FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
  • No changes since FY2016.

Common questions about S42.40

Is S42.40 billable?

No. S42.40 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.