2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code E88.41MELAS syndrome

ICD-10-CM Codes›E00–E89›E70-E88›E88

ICD-10-CM E88.41
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

E88.41 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for MELAS syndrome. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). Coders also document this condition as juvenile myopathy AND lactate acidosis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified and unspecified nutritional and metabolic disorders.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
E88.41
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
MELAS syndrome
Short Description
MELAS syndrome
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
E88.4
Mitochondrial metabolism disorders

Code Classification

ChapterE00–E89Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases
SectionE70-E88Metabolic disorders
CategoryE88Other and unspecified metabolic disorders
This CodeE88.41MELAS syndrome

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Juvenile myopathy AND lactate acidosis
  • Juvenile myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, stroke

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Disorder(of)
      • metabolism NOS
        • mitochondrial
          • MELAS syndrome
    • MELAS syndrome
    • Syndrome
      • MELAS

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR END016
Other specified and unspecified nutritional and metabolic disorders
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • MELAS Syndrome

    a mitochondrial disorder characterized by focal or generalized seizures, episodes of transient or persistent neurologic dysfunction resembling strokes, and ragged-red fibers on muscle biopsy. affected individuals tend to be normal at birth through early childhood, then experience growth failure, episodic vomiting, and recurrent cerebral insults resulting in visual loss and hemiparesis. the cortical lesions tend to occur in the parietal and occipital lobes and are not associated with vascular occlusion. vascular headache is frequently associated and the disorder tends to be familial. (from joynt, clinical neurology, 1992, ch56, p117)

Patient EducationClinical

Metabolic Disorders

Metabolism is the process your body uses to get or make energy from the food you eat. Food is made up of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Chemicals in your digestive system break the food parts down into sugars and acids, your body's fuel.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert E88.41 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
277.87 Dis mitochondrial metab
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About E88.41Overview

Is E88.41 (Mitochondrial metabolism disorders) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report MELAS syndrome on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of E88.41?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, MELAS syndrome converts to ICD-9-CM 277.87 (dis mitochondrial metab). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.