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    OpenPayerBilling CodesInjuries to the headICD-10-CM s04-injury-of-cranial-nerve
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    ICD-10-CM Code For Injury Of Cranial Nerve: Group Overview

    The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code group S04 includes injuries to the cranial nerves, covering traumatic lesions, lacerations, and compression-related damage to individual or multiple cranial nerves that affect head and neck function. These ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes are used to document clinical scenarios involving nerve impairment from external causes, capturing the specific nerve(s) involved, laterality, and associated complications or sequelae. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-CM S04 group supports proper claim adjudication, complete clinical documentation, and appropriate reimbursement.

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    ICD-10-CM S04: Injury Of Cranial Nerve Overview

    The ICD-10-CM S04 group encompasses injuries to the cranial nerves that affect sensory or motor function of the head and neck. These diagnoses target the peripheral nerves arising from the brain, including single or multiple cranial nerve damage from trauma or other external causes. Accurate coding matters because precise diagnosis-level detail influences clinical documentation and supports appropriate reimbursement determination.

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    When to Use

    Use a code from this group when clinical documentation indicates a cranial nerve has been injured due to an external cause and the specific nerve and laterality are recorded. Select codes that reflect the encounter type (initial, subsequent, or sequela) and include any documented complications related to the nerve injury.

    ICD-10-CM Codes

    114 rows

    ICD-10-CM CodeDescription
    S04.011AInjury of optic nerve, right eye, initial encounter
    S04.011DInjury of optic nerve, right eye, subsequent encounter
    S04.011SInjury of optic nerve, right eye, sequela
    S04.012AInjury of optic nerve, left eye, initial encounter
    S04.012DInjury of optic nerve, left eye, subsequent encounter
    S04.012SInjury of optic nerve, left eye, sequela
    S04.019AInjury of optic nerve, unspecified eye, initial encounter
    S04.019DInjury of optic nerve, unspecified eye, subsequent encounter
    S04.019SInjury of optic nerve, unspecified eye, sequela
    S04.02XAInjury of optic chiasm, initial encounter
    S04.02XDInjury of optic chiasm, subsequent encounter
    S04.02XSInjury of optic chiasm, sequela
    S04.031AInjury of optic tract and pathways, right side, initial encounter
    S04.031DInjury of optic tract and pathways, right side, subsequent encounter
    S04.031SInjury of optic tract and pathways, right side, sequela
    S04.032AInjury of optic tract and pathways, left side, initial encounter
    S04.032DInjury of optic tract and pathways, left side, subsequent encounter
    S04.032SInjury of optic tract and pathways, left side, sequela
    S04.039AInjury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side, initial encounter
    S04.039DInjury of optic tract and pathways, unspecified side, subsequent encounter

    Showing 1–20 of 114

    DRG Codes

    15 rows

    DRG CodeDescription
    073Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Disorders with MCC
    074Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Disorders without MCC
    091Other Disorders of Nervous System with MCC
    092Other Disorders of Nervous System with CC
    093Other Disorders of Nervous System without CC/MCC
    124Other Disorders of the Eye with MCC or Thrombolytic Agent
    125Other Disorders of the Eye without MCC
    154Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with MCC
    155Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with CC
    156Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses without CC/MCC
    949Aftercare with CC/MCC
    950Aftercare without CC/MCC
    963Other Multiple Significant Trauma with MCC
    964Other Multiple Significant Trauma with CC
    965Other Multiple Significant Trauma without CC/MCC

    Typical Clinical Scenarios

    • An adult presents to the emergency department after a motorcycle crash with acute right-sided facial numbness and inability to abduct the right eye; exam shows lateral rectus palsy consistent with abducens nerve injury and there is clear recent head trauma. Imaging excludes skull base fracture but documents traumatic cranial nerve injury requiring acute evaluation; a code from this group is assigned to capture the acute traumatic cranial nerve lesion. Typical codes: S04.112A, S04.11XD, S04.11XS
    • An elderly patient with a remote history of closed-head injury months ago has persistent unilateral facial paresthesia and decreased corneal reflex with documented chronic dysfunction of the trigeminal nerve branches causing ongoing sensory loss and risk to the cornea. They are seen in neurology for chronic management of post-traumatic cranial nerve deficits; a code from this group is used to report the sequela of the earlier nerve injury. Typical codes: S04.011D, S04.019D
    • A young adult hospitalized after a penetrating orbital injury develops an acute optic nerve transection with rapid vision loss and requires surgical consultation; the optic neuropathy is an immediate complication of the head/face trauma. The diagnosis is coded to reflect the acute traumatic injury to the cranial nerve responsible for vision. Typical codes: S04.02XA, S04.02XD

    Related Codes

    S00-SUPERFICIAL-INJURY-OF-HEAD

    ICD-10-CM Code For Superficial Injury Of Head: Group Overview

    S01-OPEN-WOUND-OF-HEAD

    ICD-10-CM Code For Open Wound Of Head: Group Overview

    S02-FRACTURE-OF-SKULL-AND-FACIAL-BONES

    ICD-10-CM Code For Fracture Of Skull And Facial Bones: Group Overview

    S03-DISLOCATION-AND-SPRAIN-OF-HEAD

    ICD-10-CM Code For Dislocation And Sprain Of Joints And Ligaments Of Head: Group Overview

    S05-INJURY-OF-EYE-AND-ORBIT

    ICD-10-CM Code For Injury Of Eye And Orbit: Group Overview

    S06-INTRACRANIAL-INJURY

    ICD-10-CM Code For Intracranial Injury: Group Overview

    S07-CRUSHING-INJURY-OF-HEAD

    ICD-10-CM Code For Crushing Injury Of Head: Group Overview

    S08-AVULSION-AND-TRAUMATIC-AMPUTATION

    ICD-10-CM Code For Avulsion And Traumatic Amputation Of Part Of Head: Group Overview

    S09-OTHER-AND-UNSPECIFIED-INJURIES-OF-HEAD

    ICD-10-CM Code For Other And Unspecified Injuries Of Head: Group Overview

    Frequently Asked Questions

    References

    1. 1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
    2. 2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
    3. 3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.
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