2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code M84.439APathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius, initial encounter for fracture

ICD-10-CM Codes›M00–M99›M80-M85›M84

ICD-10-CM M84.439A
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

M84.439A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius, initial encounter for fracture. The 7th character A marks it as an initial encounter code, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 542 through 544. The code is flagged as an unspecified code, since codes identifying laterality exist in the same family. Coders also document this condition as fracture of distal end of radius and ulna. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Pathological fracture, initial encounter.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
M84.439A
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Pathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius, initial encounter for fracture
Short Description
Pathological fracture, unsp ulna and radius, init for fx
Parent Code
M84.439
Pathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius

Code Classification

ChapterM00–M99Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
SectionM80-M85Disorders of bone density and structure
CategoryM84Disorder of continuity of bone
This CodeM84.439APathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius, initial encounter for fracture

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for M84.439A.

Unspecified codes
Unspecified codes exist in the ICD-10-CM classification for circumstances when documentation in the medical record does not provide the level of detail needed to support reporting a more specific code. However, in the inpatient setting, there should generally be very limited and rare circumstances for which the laterality (right, left, bilateral) of a condition is unable to be documented and reported. The following pages contain the list of unspecified ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for which there is a more specific code to identify laterality (right, left, bilateral) within that code family.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Fracture of distal end of radius and ulna
  • Pathological fracture - forearm
  • Pathological fracture of distal radius
  • Pathological fracture of distal radius and distal ulna
  • Pathological fracture of distal ulna
  • Pathological fracture of radius
  • Pathological fracture of ulna

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR MUS014
Pathological fracture, initial encounter
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Arm Injuries and Disorders

Of the 206 bones in your body, three of them are in your arm: the humerus, radius, and ulna. Your arms are also made up of muscles, joints, tendons, and other connective tissue. Injuries to any of these parts of the arm can occur during sports, a fall, or an accident.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert M84.439A to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
733.12 Path fx dstl radius ulna
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 M84.439AOverview

Is M84.439A (Pathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report pathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius, initial encounter for fracture on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What does the 7th character A in M84.439A mean?

The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for pathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.

What MS-DRG does M84.439A group to?

When pathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius, initial encounter for fracture is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 542, 543, 544, with relative weights from 0.7546 to 1.7665 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of M84.439A?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, pathological fracture, unspecified ulna and radius, initial encounter for fracture converts to ICD-9-CM 733.12 (path fx dstl radius ulna). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

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.