ICDcodes.org
FY2027

S21.15 — Open bite of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavity

Not billable

Is S21.15 billable?

No — S21.15 is a non-billable header code. S21.15 groups more specific codes and cannot be submitted on a claim. A valid ICD-10-CM code must be reported at the highest level of specificity available in its branch. Select one of the 9 billable codes beneath S21.15.

Billable codes under this header

S21.15 at a glance

CodeS21.15
DescriptionOpen bite of front wall of thorax without penetration into thoracic cavity
BillableNo — header code
Code setICD-10-CM FY2027
Valid for encountersOctober 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

How is S21.15 listed in the Alphabetic Index?

These are the routes through the Alphabetic Index that lead to S21.15. They show the wording a clinician may have documented, which often differs from the Tabular description.

  • Bite › thorax, thoracic › front (s) (animal) (human)

Excludes1 — never code together

The conditions below can never be reported together with S21.15 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.

  • superficial bite of front wall of thorax (S20.37)

Inclusion terms

Alternative wording in documentation that is classified to S21.15.

  • Bite of front wall of thorax NOS

Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from S21

The conditions below can never be reported together with S21.15 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.

  • traumatic amputation (partial) of thorax (S28.1)

Use additional code — inherited from Chapter 19

Report an additional code alongside S21.15 to fully describe the condition. S21.15 is sequenced first.

  • code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 19

The conditions below are not part of S21.15, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, S21.15 and the excluded code may both be reported.

  • birth trauma (P10-P15)
  • obstetric trauma (O70-O71)

Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from S20-S29

The conditions below are not part of S21.15, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, S21.15 and the excluded code may both be reported.

  • 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)

Code also — inherited from S21

Two codes may be needed to describe the condition fully. Whether S21.15 is sequenced first depends on the reason for the encounter.

  • any associated injury, such as:
  • injury of heart (S26.-)
  • injury of intrathoracic organs (S27.-)
  • rib fracture (S22.3-, S22.4-)
  • spinal cord injury (S24.0-, S24.1-)
  • traumatic hemopneumothorax (S27.3)
  • traumatic hemothorax (S27.1)
  • traumatic pneumothorax (S27.0)
  • wound infection

What codes fall under S21.15? (3)

How long has S21.15 existed?

S21.15 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.

Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.

What other codes are in the S21.1 family? (5)