# Facet arthropathy, lumbosacral Chronic



## rfoster83@tampabay.rr.com (Apr 22, 2016)

If anyone could shed some light on this diagnosis code, it would be greatly appreciated.  We are debating in our office what the correct ICD-10 dx code would be for Facet Arthropathy, lumbosacral, chronic.  Some say M46.97 and others say M47.817.   Please help!!


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## LuckyLily (Apr 22, 2016)

Arthropathy, other specified, vertebrae- comes out to M12.88 other specific arthropathies, not elsewhere classified, other specified sites. This is what I use.


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## Fahad.Ogagang@MiraMedGS.com (Apr 24, 2016)

I can't find any specific type of arthropathy with the documentation of Facet Arthropathy, lumbosacral, chronic so coding M12.88 other specific arthropathies doesn't have any supporting documentation, 

spondylopathies is a general term for disorders of the vertebrae

spondylosis is a painful condition of the spine resulting from the degeneration of the intervertebral disks.

coding spondylosis would be incorrect as the definition states that it is a "degenerative" disease of the intervertebral "disks" the documentation states Facet Arthropathy.

also arthropathy may be used regardless of whether there is inflammation or not. look for any supporting documentation for an inflammation like increase Prostaglandin, even if facet arthropathy is usually associated with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or traumatic joint disease, coders can't just assume that this is an inflammatory disease.

M12.9 should be the code for this, ask the physician for specificity of the patient condition whether it's neuropathic (Charcot), gouty, enteropathic, crystal induced, infectious, inflammatory (arthritis) etc..


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## sxcoder1 (Apr 25, 2016)

I think I would use M12.88


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## Fahad.Ogagang@MiraMedGS.com (Apr 25, 2016)

the code 
Arthropathy - see also Arthritis M12.9
 -specified form NEC M12.80
    -specified joint NEC M12.88
      -vertebrae M12.88

with code title M12.88 other specific arthropathies, not elsewhere classified, other specified sites.

what is the form/type of arthropathy? chronic is not a form but the persistence of the condition, there are different types of arthropathy like arthritis and gout.


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