S63.301 Traumatic rupture of unspecified ligament of right wrist

ICD-10-CM S63.301: Traumatic rupture of unspecified ligament of right wrist

ICD-10-CM code S63.301 designates a traumatic rupture of an unspecified ligament in the right wrist. Clinical literature notes that wrist ligament injuries, such as scapholunate tears, can occur from falls on an outstretched hand and may lead to instability. This code distinguishes the right wrist from the left and differs from codes for unspecified sprains. 1 2 3

Plain-language overview

A traumatic rupture of a wrist ligament involves an injury to the connective tissues that stabilize the wrist, which can occur from mechanisms like a fall on an outstretched hand. 1 2

What this code represents

Code S63.301 specifically represents a traumatic rupture of an unspecified ligament of the right wrist, distinguishing this diagnosis from left wrist and unspecified wrist counterparts. 3

Coding details

The S63.301 code falls under the S63.30 category for traumatic rupture of unspecified ligament of the wrist, which is distinct from the S63.5 category designated for other and unspecified sprains of the wrist. 3

Clinical context

The scapholunate ligament is identified as the most commonly injured ligament in the wrist, and its acute injury can occur in isolation after a fall on an outstretched hand or in association with distal radius fractures. 2

Wrist ligament injuries can lead to carpal instability, and untreated scapholunate ligament injuries are termed chronic scapholunate instability at six weeks, potentially progressing to wrist arthritis. 1 2

Documentation considerations

Clinical evaluation for scapholunate interosseous ligament injuries includes assessing for dorsal wrist pain exacerbated by lifting or axial loading, and wrist arthroscopy remains the gold standard investigation for these injuries. 2

While S63.301 specifies right wrist involvement, clinical documentation for wrist ligament injuries may also detail diagnostic findings from plain radiographs or magnetic resonance imaging to identify specific ligament tears. 2 3

What the sources add

The clinical sources provide detailed information on specific wrist ligament injuries and their management, whereas the coding source establishes the exact ICD-10-CM hierarchy and laterality distinctions for S63.301. 1 2 3

The coding source distinguishes S63.301 from codes for collateral ligament ruptures and other specified ligament ruptures, while the clinical sources describe specific ligaments like the scapholunate and lunotriquetral. 1 2 3

Sources

1. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-25.
2. Management of chronic scapholunate ligament injury — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-25.
3. Coding: ICD-10-CM Section S60-S69 — medicalcodecenter.com; accessed 2026-07-25.