S72 – Fracture of femur
ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code · Injuries to the hip and thigh
ICD-10-CM code
S72
- Code
S72(claims format:S72)- Description
- Fracture of femur
- Billable
- No – use a more specific code below
- Valid for
- Dates of service October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 (FY2027)
- Chapter
- 19. Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
- Block
- S70-S79 Injuries to the hip and thigh
Billable codes under S72
S72 is a header code and cannot be used on claims. Choose the most specific code:
- S72.0 – Fracture of head and neck of femurHeader (more codes below)
- S72.1 – Pertrochanteric fractureHeader (more codes below)
- S72.2 – Subtrochanteric fracture of femurHeader (more codes below)
- S72.3 – Fracture of shaft of femurHeader (more codes below)
- S72.4 – Fracture of lower end of femurHeader (more codes below)
- S72.8 – Other fracture of femurHeader (more codes below)
- S72.9 – Unspecified fracture of femurHeader (more codes below)
7th character values
Codes in this category need a 7th character to describe the encounter or episode of care (use placeholder X for empty positions).
| Character | Meaning |
|---|---|
A | initial encounter for closed fracture |
B | initial encounter for open fracture type I or II |
C | initial encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC |
D | subsequent encounter for closed fracture with routine healing |
E | subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with routine healing |
F | subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with routine healing |
G | subsequent encounter for closed fracture with delayed healing |
H | subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with delayed healing |
J | subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with delayed healing |
K | subsequent encounter for closed fracture with nonunion |
M | subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with nonunion |
N | subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with nonunion |
P | subsequent encounter for closed fracture with malunion |
Q | subsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with malunion |
R | subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with malunion |
S | sequela |
Notes for S72
Excludes1 (not coded here):
- traumatic amputation of hip and thigh (S78.-)
Excludes2 (not included here):
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
- The open fracture designations are based on the Gustilo open fracture classification
7th character note:
- The appropriate 7th character is to be added to all codes from category S72
Notes inherited from parent codes
Instructional notes at a category or block level apply to every code below it.
Block S70-S79
Frequently asked questions
What is ICD-10 code S72?
S72 is the ICD-10-CM code for fracture of femur, in the block S70-S79 (Injuries to the hip and thigh).
Is S72 a billable code?
No. S72 is a header code with more specific child codes; report one of the billable codes listed above.
Source: CDC/NCHS ICD-10-CM FY2027 code files, tabular list and index. Reference only – code assignment must follow the official ICD-10-CM guidelines and documentation in the medical record.