S53

Header — not billable

Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of elbow

The ICD-10 code for dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of elbow is S53.

S53 is a non-billable header code. It groups related conditions but cannot be used on its own for reimbursement — select one of the 5 more specific codes below.

Clinical notes

Code also

Two codes may be needed to fully describe a condition, but unlike Code First/Use Additional Code, the sequencing order is not mandated by convention.

any associated open wound

Excludes2 (not included here)

An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of this one, but a patient can have both at the same time — in that case both codes may be reported together.

strain of muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level (S56.-)

Includes

Terms listed here further define or give examples of the conditions grouped under this code — they describe what the code covers, not a separate diagnosis.

avulsion of joint or ligament of elbow
laceration of cartilage, joint or ligament of elbow
sprain of cartilage, joint or ligament of elbow
traumatic hemarthrosis of joint or ligament of elbow
traumatic rupture of joint or ligament of elbow
traumatic subluxation of joint or ligament of elbow
traumatic tear of joint or ligament of elbow

7th character definitions

These definitions specify what each valid 7th-character value means for codes in this category.

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7th character note

This category requires a 7th character to indicate additional clinical detail (e.g. encounter type: initial, subsequent, sequela). The code is incomplete without it.

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S53

Documentation support

General coding-documentation guidance — not a substitute for payer-specific requirements or professional coding judgment.

•This is a non-billable header code. Documentation must support a more specific child code before this diagnosis can be reported on a claim.
•This category requires a 7th character. Documentation should clearly indicate the episode of care (initial encounter, subsequent encounter, or sequela).
•As a general rule, code to the highest level of specificity supported by the documentation in the medical record.

S53