S42.144 Nondisplaced fracture of glenoid cavity of scapula, right shoulder

ICD-10-CM S42.144: Nondisplaced fracture of glenoid cavity of scapula, right shoulder

ICD-10-CM code S42.144 identifies a nondisplaced fracture of the glenoid cavity of the right scapula. The glenoid cavity is the lateral socket of the scapula that articulates with the humeral head. Glenoid fractures often occur from high-impact blunt trauma or shoulder dislocations. This specific code distinguishes the injury as nondisplaced and specifies right shoulder laterality. 1 3

Plain-language overview

The glenoid cavity is located on the lateral scapula and functions as the socket portion of the shoulder joint that meets to articulate with the humeral head. [S1] 1

What this code represents

Code S42.144 specifically represents a nondisplaced fracture of the glenoid cavity of the scapula in the right shoulder. [S3] 3

Coding details

Code S42.144 is distinct from S42.141, S42.142, and S42.143, which represent displaced fractures of the glenoid cavity of the scapula in the right, left, and unspecified shoulders, respectively. [S3] 3

Code S42.144 is further distinguished from S42.145 and S42.146, which denote nondisplaced fractures of the glenoid cavity of the scapula in the left and unspecified shoulders. [S3] 3

Clinical context

Scapular fractures involving the glenoid can occur from a direct blow to the thoracic cage, scapula, or arm, or from a shoulder dislocation caused by varying levels of trauma energy. [S2] 2

A high-velocity blunt force can cause the humeral head to impact the glenoid cavity, resulting in a fracture, and these injuries are often associated with additional trauma. [S1] 1

Documentation considerations

Computerized tomography is often needed to determine the nature and extent of a glenoid fossa injury, including the size and precise involvement of the glenoid cavity. [S1] 1

What the sources add

While clinical literature details the high-impact trauma mechanisms and diagnostic imaging for glenoid cavity fractures, the coding source explicitly defines S42.144 as a nondisplaced right shoulder injury. [S1, S3] 1 3

Both clinical sources indicate that scapular fractures are uncommon, while one source specifies they account for less than one percent of all fractures. [S1, S2] 1 2

Sources

1. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-26.
2. Glenoid fractures of the shoulder — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-26.
3. S42.14 — medcode.ch; accessed 2026-07-26.