Neurosurgery Coding Alert

Question: What are Schmorl’s nodes, and how should we report them?

Florida Subscriber

Answer: Schmorl’s nodes, also called Schmorl’s nodules, are protrusions of disc material into the adjacent vertebral bone. The cartilage of the intervertebral disc, the disc between two spine bones, protrudes into the adjacent vertebra.

When the surgeon diagnoses Schmorl’s nodes, you must check the location of the nodes.

• For the thoracic region, you would report M51.44 (Schmorl’s nodes, thoracic region).
• For the thoracolumbar region, you can look to M51.45 (… thoracolumbar region).
• For the lumbar region, turn to M51.46 (… lumbar region).
• For the lumbosacral region, your choice is M51.47 (…, lumbosacral region).