M46.21
Osteomyelitis of vertebra, occipito-atlanto-axial region
Billable FY2026 2025-10-01 → 2026-09-30
Exclusions 10 never code together
M00-M99chapter
Excludes2
- arthropathic psoriasis (L40.5-)L40.5-
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)P04-P96
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)A00-B99
- compartment syndrome (traumatic) (T79.A-)T79.A-
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)O00-O9A
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Q00-Q99
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)E00-E88
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)S00-T88
- neoplasms (C00-D49)C00-D49
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)R00-R94
Excludes2 — not included here, but the patient may have both. Code both when documented.
Instructional notes 1
M00-M99chapter
Notes
- Use an external cause code following the code for the musculoskeletal condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the musculoskeletal condition
Index entries leading here 1
Alongside this code 8 same parent — M46.2
M46.20 Osteomyelitis of vertebra, site unspecified M46.22 Osteomyelitis of vertebra, cervical region M46.23 Osteomyelitis of vertebra, cervicothoracic region M46.24 Osteomyelitis of vertebra, thoracic region M46.25 Osteomyelitis of vertebra, thoracolumbar region M46.26 Osteomyelitis of vertebra, lumbar region M46.27 Osteomyelitis of vertebra, lumbosacral region M46.28 Osteomyelitis of vertebra, sacral and sacrococcygeal region
Additional references
AHA Coding Clinic® Licence required
Official coding advice for this code. Published by the American Hospital Association. Not included in this installation.