2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M72.6Necrotizing fasciitis
ICD-10-CM Codes›M00–M99›M70-M79›M72
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
M72.6 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for necrotizing fasciitis. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 557 through 558. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified connective tissue disease.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Infantile streptococcal infection
- Inflammation of scrotum
- Injury of fascia of pelvis
- Necrotizing fasciitis
- Necrotizing fasciitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes
- Necrotizing fasciitis of scrotum and perineum
- Neonatal necrotizing fasciitis
- Neonatal necrotizing fasciitis caused by Streptococcus
- Neonatal staphylococcal necrotizing fasciitis
- Neonatal streptococcal infection
- Polymicrobial necrotizing fasciitis
- Streptococcus pyogenes infection
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Use Additional Code
The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- necrotizing - M72.6
- necrotizing - M72.6
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Fasciitis
- infective
- necrotizing
- Fasciitis
- necrotizing
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Necrotizing Fasciitis
infection of the deep skin and subcutaneous tissues and necrosis of the fascia. it is caused by bacteria including group a streptococcus, staphylococcus aureus and clostridium perfringens. it may develop following trauma and invasive procedures.
Patient EducationClinical
Bacterial Infections
Bacteria are tiny organisms (living things) that have only one cell. Under a microscope, they look like balls, rods, or spirals. They can be found almost everywhere on Earth. There are lots of bacteria in and on your body. In fact, your body has about 10 times more bacteria cells than human cells.
The full article covers:
- What are bacteria?
- How do bacterial infections spread?
- What are the treatments for bacterial infections?
- Can bacterial infections be prevented?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert M72.6 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About M72.6Overview
Is M72.6 (Fibroblastic disorders) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report necrotizing fasciitis on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does M72.6 group to?
When necrotizing fasciitis is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 557, 558, with relative weights from 0.8932 to 1.4869 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of M72.6?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, necrotizing fasciitis converts to ICD-9-CM 728.86 (necrotizing fasciitis). The mapping is a direct match.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
