S12.040A Displaced lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra, initial encounter for closed fracture

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026.

Built from S12.040 with 7th character A (initial encounter for closed fracture).

Applies from S12 Fracture of cervical vertebra and other parts of neck

Includes

• fracture of cervical neural arch
• fracture of cervical spine
• fracture of cervical spinous process
• fracture of cervical transverse process
• fracture of cervical vertebral arch
• fracture of neck

Code first

• any associated cervical spinal cord injury (S14.0, S14.1-)

7th character note

• The appropriate 7th character is to be added to all codes from subcategories S12.0-S12.6

Notes

• A fracture not indicated as displaced or nondisplaced should be coded to displaced
• A fracture not indicated as open or closed should be coded to closed

7th character required

• A — initial encounter for closed fracture
• B — initial encounter for open fracture
• D — subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
• G — subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
• K — subsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
• S — sequela

Applies from S12.0 Fracture of first cervical vertebra

Applicable to

• Atlas

Risk adjustment (HCC)

• CMS-HCC V28: HCC 401 — Vertebral Fractures without Spinal Cord Injury
• CMS-HCC V22: HCC 169 — Vertebral Fractures without Spinal Cord Injury
• ESRD V24: HCC 169

Code annotations containing back-references to S12.040A

Back-references to S12.0

• Type 1 Excludes: M48.4 Fatigue fracture of vertebra ("traumatic fracture of vertebrae (S12.0-S12.3-, S22.0-, S32.0-)")
• Type 2 Excludes: S13.1 Subluxation and dislocation of cervical vertebrae ("fracture of cervical vertebrae (S12.0-S12.3-)")
• Code Also: S14 Injury of nerves and spinal cord at neck level ("fracture of cervical vertebra (S12.0--S12.6.-)")
• Use Additional: S17 Crushing injury of neck ("vertebral fracture (S12.0--S12.3-)")
• Use Additional: T71.16 Asphyxiation due to hanging ("fracture of cervical vertebrae (S12.0-S12.2-)")

Back-references to S12

• Type 1 Excludes: M48.5 Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified ("traumatic fracture of vertebra (S12.-, S22.-, S32.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: M84.3 Stress fracture ("traumatic fracture (S12.-, S22.-, S32.-, S42.-, S52.-, S62.-, S72.-, S82.-, S92.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: M84.4 Pathological fracture, not elsewhere classified ("traumatic fracture (S12.-, S22.-, S32.-, S42.-, S52.-, S62.-, S72.-, S82.-, S92.-)")
• Type 2 Excludes: S11 Open wound of neck ("open fracture of vertebra (S12.- with 7th character B)")
• Type 2 Excludes: S27 Injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs ("injury of cervical esophagus (S10-S19)")
• Type 2 Excludes: S27 Injury of other and unspecified intrathoracic organs ("injury of trachea (cervical) (S10-S19)")

Diagnosis Index entries for S12.040A

• Fracture, traumatic (abduction) (adduction) (separation) › neck › cervical vertebra › first (displaced) › lateral mass (displaced)

Nearby codes

• S12.031G Nondisplaced posterior arch fracture of first cervical vertebra, subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
• S12.031K Nondisplaced posterior arch fracture of first cervical vertebra, subsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
• S12.031S Nondisplaced posterior arch fracture of first cervical vertebra, sequela
• S12.04 Lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra
• S12.040 Displaced lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra
• S12.040A Displaced lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra, initial encounter for closed fracture (this code)
• S12.040B Displaced lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra, initial encounter for open fracture
• S12.040D Displaced lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra, subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
• S12.040G Displaced lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra, subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
• S12.040K Displaced lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra, subsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
• S12.040S Displaced lateral mass fracture of first cervical vertebra, sequela