Neurology & Pain Management Coding Alert

Question: What is the ICD-9 diagnosis code for suprascapular neuropathy?

Connecticut Subscriber

Answer: There is no explicit code attributed to suprascapular neuropathy as it is not specifically indicated in ICD-9, not even in Volume 2's alphabetic listing of diseases. Since suprascapular neuropathy is one of several forms of brachial mononeuropathies, use 354.8 (Other mononeuritis of upper limb).

Suprascapular nerve: The suprascapular nerve originates from the upper trunk of the brachial plexus. Most of its fibers come from the C5 and C6 spinal nerves.

The suprascapular nerve is primarily a motor nerve and innervates the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles. The supraspinatus muscle runs along the top of the shoulder blade and is used to lift the arm up sideways. The infraspinatus muscle is one of the four rotator cuff muscles and is the main external rotator of the shoulder joint. Therefore, any injury, disease, or abnormality involving these nerves may cause weakness or paralysis of these muscles.

Avoid 353.0: Code 353.0 (Brachial plexus lesions) is for a diagnosis of brachial plexus lesions that includes the following conditions: cervical rib syndrome, costoclavicular syndrome, scalenus anticus syndrome, and thoracic outlet syndrome. Brachial mononeuropathies and brachial plexus lesions both involve to a certain degree the brachial plexus. A mononeuropathy, however, is specific to an individual nerve -- for example, neuropathy involving only the suprascapular nerve. A plexopathy typically affects the entire network of nerves associated with the plexus -- for example, the entire brachial plexus.