Question: The neurosurgeon documented kyphosis in a patient who had undergone a laminectomy in the past. How should I report this diagnosis? Ohio Subscriber Answer: For kyphosis that develops as a sequence to laminectomy procedure, you should report M96.3 (Postlaminectomy kyphosis). Make sure you don’t mix up M96.3 with other kyphosis codes. For example, you would report M40.00 (Postural kyphosis, site unspecified) for kyphosis acquired due to wrong posture and M40.1 (Other secondary kyphosis) for kyphosis due to other causes. Caution: When submitting a diagnosis of kyphosis, you must always know the underlying cause for kyphosis. Some of the common causes of kyphosis include the following: Don’t miss: Kyphosis may also occur due to developmental problems. Scheuermann’s kyphosis is the most classic form of hyperkyphosis and is the result of wedged vertebrae that develop during adolescence. This is a developmental condition, and the cause for this condition is not precisely known. “In circumstances where there is a clear diagnosis responsible for the kyphosis, it is recommended to additionally report the cause of the kyphosis,” says Gregory Przybylski, MD, past chairman of neurosurgery and neurology at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey.