M51.9
Unspecified thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorder
Billable FY2026 2025-10-01 → 2026-09-30
This is the unspecified option. 7 more
specific codes sit alongside it. Worth
checking whether the documentation supports one of them.
Exclusions 12 never code together
M51code
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 3
Alongside this code 7 same parent — M51
M51.0 Thoracic, thrclm and lumbosacr intvrt disc disord w myelpath category M51.1 Thor, thrclm & lumbosacr intvrt disc disord w radiculopathy category M51.2 Oth thoracic, thrclm and lumbosacr intvrt disc displacmnt category M51.3 Oth thoracic, thrclm and lumbosacr intvrt disc degeneration category M51.4 Schmorl's nodes category M51.8 Oth thoracic, thoracolum and lumbosacr intvrt disc disorders category M51.A Other lumbar and lumbosacral annulus fibrosus disc defects category
Additional references
AHA Coding Clinic® Licence required
Official coding advice for this code. Published by the American Hospital Association. Not included in this installation.