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  2. ICD-10-CM Codes List
  3. M00–M99
  4. M50-M54
  5. Thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders (M51)

Thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders (M51)

The ICD-10 code section M51 covers disorders of the intervertebral discs located in the thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral spine regions. These codes categorize various disc problems including herniations, degeneration, and related complications like myelopathy and radiculopathy.

These codes are used specifically to identify conditions such as thoracic disc prolapse with myelopathy (M51.04) and lumbar disc disorders causing radiculopathy, often referred to in common terms like “sciatica” or “lumbago with sciatica” (M51.16, M51.17). The classification also includes the presence of Schmorl's nodes (M51.4x) and annulus fibrosus defects (M51.Ax), which describe structural changes in the discs. By incorporating synonyms such as “disc prolapse,” “herniation of nucleus pulposus,” or “discogenic back pain,” this section aids medical coders in accurately linking clinical diagnoses to the appropriate ICD-10 codes when documenting thoracic and lower spine disc disorders.

  • Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00–M99)

    • Other dorsopathies (M50-M54)

        • Thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders (M51)

        • M51 Thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders
        • M51.0 Thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy
        • M51.04 Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, thoracic region
        • M51.05 Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, thoracolumbar region
        • M51.06 Intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, lumbar region
        • M51.1 Thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy
        • M51.14 Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, thoracic region
        • M51.15 Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, thoracolumbar region
        • M51.16 Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, lumbar region
        • M51.17 Intervertebral disc disorders with radiculopathy, lumbosacral region
        • M51.2 Other thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc displacement
        • M51.24 Other intervertebral disc displacement, thoracic region
        • M51.25 Other intervertebral disc displacement, thoracolumbar region
        • M51.26 Other intervertebral disc displacement, lumbar region
        • M51.27 Other intervertebral disc displacement, lumbosacral region
        • M51.3 Other thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc degeneration
        • M51.34 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, thoracic region
        • M51.35 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, thoracolumbar region
        • M51.36 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region DELETED CODE
        • M51.360 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region with discogenic back pain only NEW CODE
        • M51.361 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region with lower extremity pain only NEW CODE
        • M51.362 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region with discogenic back pain and lower extremity pain NEW CODE
        • M51.369 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar region without mention of lumbar back pain or lower extremity pain NEW CODE
        • M51.37 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region DELETED CODE
        • M51.370 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region with discogenic back pain only NEW CODE
        • M51.371 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region with lower extremity pain only NEW CODE
        • M51.372 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region with discogenic back pain and lower extremity pain NEW CODE
        • M51.379 Other intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbosacral region without mention of lumbar back pain or lower extremity pain NEW CODE
        • M51.4 Schmorl's nodes
        • M51.44 Schmorl's nodes, thoracic region
        • M51.45 Schmorl's nodes, thoracolumbar region
        • M51.46 Schmorl's nodes, lumbar region
        • M51.47 Schmorl's nodes, lumbosacral region
        • M51.8 Other thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders
        • M51.84 Other intervertebral disc disorders, thoracic region
        • M51.85 Other intervertebral disc disorders, thoracolumbar region
        • M51.86 Other intervertebral disc disorders, lumbar region
        • M51.87 Other intervertebral disc disorders, lumbosacral region
        • M51.9 Unspecified thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorder
        • M51.A Other lumbar and lumbosacral annulus fibrosus disc defects
        • M51.A0 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, lumbar region, unspecified size
        • M51.A1 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, small, lumbar region
        • M51.A2 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, large, lumbar region
        • M51.A3 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, lumbosacral region, unspecified size
        • M51.A4 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, small, lumbosacral region
        • M51.A5 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, large, lumbosacral region

Instructional Notations

Type 2 Excludes

A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

  • cervical and cervicothoracic disc disorders M50
  • sacral and sacrococcygeal disorders M53.3