Alphabetic Index FY2027

M84.4

Pathological fracture, not elsewhere classified

FY2027Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue/M80–M85 Disorders of bone density and structure

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

M84.4 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code header for pathological fracture, not elsewhere classified. 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 M84.40 Pathological fracture, unspecified site; M84.41 Pathological fracture, shoulder; M84.42 Pathological fracture, humerus; M84.43 Pathological fracture, ulna and radius and 5 more. Its coding notes include 6 Excludes1 entries and 12 Excludes2 entries.

7th characters

Every code below needs one of these.

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from subcategory M84.4:

  • Ainitial encounter for fracture
  • Dsubsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
  • Gsubsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
  • Ksubsequent encounter for fracture with nonunion
  • Psubsequent encounter for fracture with malunion
  • Ssequela

Guidelines tip

From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.

7th character A applies while the patient is in active treatment, regardless of which provider sees them. D is for routine care during healing after active treatment ends.

Guidelines I.C.13.cPathological fractures: the 7th characterRead the official text

Excludes1

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

This code

Excludes2

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

This code
  • personal history of (healed) pathological fracture (Z87.311)
Inherited from M84 Disorder of continuity of bone
  • traumatic fracture of bone-see fracture, by site
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
  • Chronic fracture
  • Pathological fracture NOS

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 M84.4 9