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Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Reader Questions:

Look to Alternate Terms for This Radiculopathy Dx

Published on Tue Jun 04, 2024

Question: Encounter notes indicate that a patient suffers from “brachial neuritis.” What is the correct diagnosis code for this condition?

Iowa Subscriber

Answer: Brachial neuritis is an alternate term for radiculopathy, which you’d report with a code from the M54.1- (Radiculopathy) code set. You’re going to need some more information in order to choose the correct ICD-10 code, though.

Do this: Go back and check the notes to see if there is mention of the anatomy of the radiculopathy. Then, choose one of the following codes depending on encounter specifics:

  • M54.10 (Radiculopathy, site unspecified)
  • M54.11 (Radiculopathy, occipito-atlanto-axial region)
  • M54.12 (Radiculopathy, cervical region)
  • M54.13 (Radiculopathy, cervicothoracic region)
  • M54.14 (Radiculopathy, thoracic region)
  • M54.15 (Radiculopathy, thoracolumbar region)
  • M54.16 (Radiculopathy, lumbar region)
  • M54.17 (Radiculopathy, lumbosacral region)
  • M54.18 (Radiculopathy, sacral and sacrococcygeal region)

Alternate terms alert: You aren’t the first coder to get tripped up on the alternate terms for radiculopathy, as there are several. Here is the list of alternate terms listed under M54.1-:

  • Brachial neuritis or radiculitis NOS
  • Lumbar neuritis or radiculitis NOS
  • Lumbosacral neuritis or radiculitis NOS
  • Thoracic neuritis or radiculitis NOS
  • Radiculitis NOS.

 

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