Alphabetic Index FY2027

M48.4

Fatigue fracture of vertebra

FY2027Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue/M45–M49 Spondylopathies

Non-billable headerNot valid on its own. Use one of the more specific codes under it.

M48.4 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code header for fatigue fracture of vertebra. Report a more specific code from it instead. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. The more specific codes under it are M48.40 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, site unspecified; M48.41 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, occipito-atlanto-axial region; M48.42 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, cervical region; M48.43 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, cervicothoracic region and 5 more. Its coding notes include 5 Excludes1 entries and 10 Excludes2 entries.

7th characters

Every code below needs one of these.

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategory M48.4:

  • Ainitial encounter for fracture
  • Dsubsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
  • Gsubsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
  • Ssequela of fracture

Excludes1

Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.

This code
  • 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.-)
  • traumatic fracture of vertebrae (S12.0-S12.3-, S22.0-, S32.0-)

Excludes2

Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.

Also from chapter/block level (10 notes)
Inherited from Chapter 13 Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
  • arthropathic psoriasis (L40.5-)
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • compartment syndrome (traumatic) (T79.A-)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)

Inclusion terms

Conditions classified to this code.

This code
  • Stress fracture of vertebra

Notes

Also from chapter/block level (1 note)
Inherited from Chapter 13 Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
  • Use an external cause code following the code for the musculoskeletal condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the musculoskeletal condition

More specific codes under M48.4 9