M48.4Fatigue fracture of vertebra

M48.4 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for fatigue fracture of vertebra. It belongs to category M48 (other spondylopathies), block M45-M49 (spondylopathies) and chapter 13 (diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 9 subcodes must be used instead.

Within M48 (other spondylopathies), M48.4 is specifically for fatigue fracture of vertebra. Related codes cover spinal stenosis (M48.0), ankylosing hyperostosis [Forestier] (M48.1), Kissing spine (M48.2), traumatic spondylopathy (M48.3), Collapsed vertebra, not elsewhere classified (M48.5), other specified spondylopathies (M48.8) and spondylopathy, unspecified (M48.9).

Codes in this range require a 7th character: A for initial encounter for fracture, D for subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing, G for subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing and S for sequela of fracture. Use placeholder "X" characters to fill any empty positions before the 7th character.

Don't report M48.4 together with the conditions in its Excludes1 note: pathological fracture NOS (M84.4-), pathological fracture of vertebra due to neoplasm (M84.58), pathological fracture of vertebra due to other diagnosis (M84.68), pathological fracture of vertebra due to osteoporosis (M80.-) and 1 more.

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.