S22.039 Unspecified fracture of third thoracic vertebra

ICD-10-CM S22.039: Unspecified fracture of third thoracic vertebra

ICD-10-CM code S22.039 represents an unspecified fracture of the third thoracic vertebra, classifying this specific injury within the broader category of third thoracic vertebral fractures. The terminology record is active and designates the concept as an injury or poisoning. More specific codes exist for distinct fracture types. 1 6

Plain-language overview

Code S22.039 identifies a fracture located specifically in the third thoracic vertebra of the spine when the provider does not further specify the exact type of bone break. 1 6

What this code represents

The terminology record for S22.039 lists its parent concept as S22.03, which is the general fracture of the third thoracic vertebra, and assigns it the semantic type of injury or poisoning. 1

The base code S22.039 has no narrower concepts in the terminology, but the broader S22.03 category includes distinct narrower options like stable burst, unstable burst, and wedge compression fractures. 1 6

Coding details

Appending the initial encounter character A to S22.039 forms the billable code S22.039A, which explicitly specifies an initial encounter for a closed fracture. 5

The ICD-10-CM system lists no inclusion terms, Excludes 1 notes, or Excludes 2 notes for the billable code S22.039A during its current effective period. 5

Documentation considerations

Coders report S22.039A only when provider documentation supports the specific condition described, recognizing that more specific codes within the same hierarchy can capture additional clinical detail. 5

Coverage and utilization context

Under the CMS-HCC V28 risk adjustment model, the billable code S22.039A maps to Vertebral Fractures without Spinal Cord Injury, designated as HCC 401, with a community non-dual aged base RAF weight of 0.522. 5

What the sources add

While S1 establishes the official active terminology record for S22.039, S5 adds operational context by detailing the billable initial encounter variant, its lack of inclusion notes, and its risk adjustment mapping. 1 5

Clinical context

A clinical case report details treating new compression fractures on the first to fifth thoracic vertebral bodies by injecting 1.5 mL of bone cement into the third thoracic vertebra, but this article does not define the S22.039 diagnosis code. 2

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM S22.039 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Percutaneous Vertebroplasty of the Entire Thoracic and Lumbar Vertebrae for Vertebral Compression Fractures Related to Chronic Glucocorticosteriod Use: Case Report and Review of Literature — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. MCD Search — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
5. 2026 ICD-10-CM S22.039A: Unspecified fracture | HCC 401 — hccbuddy.com; accessed 2026-07-27.
6. Coding: ICD-10-CM Section S20-S29 — medicalcodecenter.com; accessed 2026-07-27.