M87.138

Billable

Osteonecrosis due to drugs of left carpus

HCC Category Mapping

V24HCC 39 — Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

0.482

ESRDHCC 39 — Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

0.000

RxHCCHCC 80 — Bone/Joint/Muscle Infections/Necrosis

0.000

What This Code Means

Death of bone tissue in the left wrist bones (carpus) caused by medication side effects.

Coding Tips

•Confirm left side is documented; wrist osteonecrosis may affect function and require rehabilitation coding
•Document the causative medication for complete medical record and potential adverse event reporting

Clinical Significance

Drug-induced osteonecrosis of the left carpus involves medication-related death of wrist bones, potentially affecting the dominant or non-dominant hand function. This condition requires comprehensive evaluation of functional impact and may necessitate specialized hand surgery consultation.

Documentation Requirements

✓Clear identification of left carpal bone involvement
✓Causative drug identification with dosage and duration details
✓Imaging evidence of carpal osteonecrosis (MRI, CT, or bone scan)
✓Documentation of wrist pain, stiffness, and functional limitations
✓Assessment of impact on hand dominance and daily activities
✓Drug exposure timeline correlating with symptom onset
✓Multidisciplinary treatment approach including hand therapy
✓Provider documentation establishing drug-induced etiology

Commonly Confused Codes

M87.137 — Right carpus osteonecrosis, opposite side M87.139 — Unspecified carpus when left side is documented M87.142 — Left hand osteonecrosis includes broader hand involvement M87.238 — Post-traumatic left carpus requires trauma history M87.038 — Idiopathic carpal osteonecrosis lacks drug causation

Code Hierarchy

└M87Osteonecrosis └M87.1Osteonecrosis due to drugs └M87.13Osteonecrosis due to drugs of radius, ulna and carpus └M87.138Osteonecrosis due to drugs of left carpus

└M87.138Osteonecrosis due to drugs of left carpus