S78.122 Partial traumatic amputation at level between left hip and knee

ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S78.122: Partial traumatic amputation at level between left hip and knee

ICD-10-CM code S78.122 identifies a partial traumatic amputation occurring between the left hip and knee. The terminology record is active for the 2026 version and classifies this concept under the semantic type of Injury or Poisoning. This code is distinct from related right-sided codes. 1 4

Plain-language overview

Code S78.122 describes a partial traumatic amputation at the anatomical level between the left hip and the left knee, and the terminology record assigns it the semantic type of Injury or Poisoning. 1

What this code represents

The official display label for S78.122 is partial traumatic amputation at level between left hip and knee, and the concept carries the semantic type of Injury or Poisoning. 1

In the ICD-10-CM 2026 terminology, S78.122 is an active code that has no narrower child concepts, establishing it as a specific terminal concept within the hierarchy. 1

Coding details

The parent concept for S78.122 is S78.12, which represents a partial traumatic amputation at the level between the hip and knee without specifying the left side. 1

Code S78.122 is distinct from S78.121A, which identifies a partial traumatic amputation between the right hip and knee for an initial encounter, as listed in a Medicare policy article. 4

Documentation considerations

Clinical text indicates that the selected level of lower extremity amputation depends on soft tissue viability, bone coverage ability, and the patient's overall clinical status. 2

Clinical context

Clinical literature notes that victims of severe traumatic lower extremity injury initially considered candidates for limb salvage may become candidates for amputation due to infection or lack of bone coverage. 2

What the sources add

The terminology record defines the code structure and hierarchy for S78.122, while the clinical text provides operational context that amputation levels are determined by soft tissue viability and patient clinical status. 1 2

Coverage and utilization context

The appearance of related S78.121 codes in a Medicare wheelchair seating policy article demonstrates that such traumatic amputation codes appear in payer documentation. 4

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM S78.122 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Bookshelf — ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. EVS Explore — evsexplore.semantics.cancer.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
4. Article - Wheelchair Seating - Policy Article (A52505) — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.