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ICD-10 Code M46.38: Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), sacral and sacrococcygeal region

M46.38 is a billable ICD-10 diagnosis code used to classify Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), sacral and sacrococcygeal region in medical records and claims. You may see this code in hospital records, discharge summaries, insurance claims, encounter documentation, referrals, or other healthcare billing and coding records. ICD-10 codes are diagnosis classification codes used in healthcare records, reporting, coding workflows, and billing support. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).

What is this code?

ICD-10 codes are diagnosis classification codes used in healthcare records, reporting, coding workflows, and billing support. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).

šŸ“‹Clinical overview

This ICD-10 code is commonly used when documentation describes pyogenic infection of an intervertebral disc. The most accurate code depends on the affected spinal region and whether one or multiple spinal sites are documented.

When is it used?

  • May be used when a clinician documents infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), sacral and sacrococcygeal region in a patient's medical record.
  • May appear in hospital records, claims, referrals, and clinical documentation.
  • This code can be used as a clinically usable diagnosis entry in standardized coding workflows.

What it does not mean

  • A code alone does not explain severity, treatment plan, or outcome.
  • A medical code should not be treated as a substitute for a doctor's diagnosis or advice.

šŸ©ŗClinical context

When commonly used
  • Inpatient, infectious-disease, orthopedic-spine, rehabilitation, and utilization-review workflows where pyogenic spinal disc infection is part of the documented problem list.
  • Coding workflows where the record supports pyogenic intervertebral-disc infection and the final code changes based on spinal region or multiple-site involvement.
Common management context
  • Evaluation often includes back-pain and neurologic-symptom review, inflammatory or infectious workup context, spine imaging, and coordination of antimicrobial and specialty follow-up.
  • Documentation usually becomes more specific when the chart identifies the exact spinal region, whether infection involves one or multiple spinal sites, and any associated spinal or infectious findings.
  • Specialist context already linked on this page includes Orthopedic Specialist, Rheumatologist, Infectious Disease Specialist.

šŸ”Key distinctions

Important notes
  • These ICD-10 codes are reserved for pyogenic infection of an intervertebral disc rather than noninfectious spinal disorders or vertebral fracture branches.
  • Spinal-region and multiple-site detail drive most of the code specificity inside this family.
  • Spinal-region detail matters here because upper cervical, cervical, cervicothoracic, thoracic, thoracolumbar, lumbar, lumbosacral, and sacral-coccygeal disc infection patterns are coded separately when the chart names the affected region more specifically.
  • Documentation that describes pyogenic infection of an intervertebral disc is coded differently from noninfectious spinal disorders, vertebral fracture patterns, or other osteomyelitis contexts.
Related codes to consider
M46.30Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), site unspecified
Related spinal-infection ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the spinal region, multiple-site versus single-site infection pattern, pyogenic versus noninfectious context, or another vertebral condition.
M46.31Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), occipito-atlanto-axial region
Related spinal-infection ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the spinal region, multiple-site versus single-site infection pattern, pyogenic versus noninfectious context, or another vertebral condition.
M46.32Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervical region
Related spinal-infection ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the spinal region, multiple-site versus single-site infection pattern, pyogenic versus noninfectious context, or another vertebral condition.
M46.33Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), cervicothoracic region
Related spinal-infection ICD-10 code; documentation often becomes more specific when the chart identifies the spinal region, multiple-site versus single-site infection pattern, pyogenic versus noninfectious context, or another vertebral condition.

Code hierarchy

chapter
13Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
block
M40-M54Dorsopathies
block
M45-M49Spondylopathies
category
M46Other inflammatory spondylopathies
category
M46.3Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic)
currentM46.3

Where you may see this code

You may see this code in hospital records, discharge summaries, insurance claims, encounter documentation, referrals, or other healthcare billing and coding records.

Related specialists

Orthopedic SpecialistRheumatologistInfectious Disease Specialist

Coding guidelines

Compatibility

Legacy and official ICD code match exactly.
Legacy codes
M46.38

Common synonyms

Infection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), sacral and sacrococcygeal regionInfection of intervertebral discInfection of intervertebral disc pyogenic, sacral and sacrococcygeal region

Frequently asked questions

Code details

CodeM46.38
SystemICD10
Display nameInfection of intervertebral disc (pyogenic), sacral and sacrococcygeal region
ChapterDiseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
BlockSpondylopathies

Flags

BillableYes
Valid clinical useYes

Source

SourceICD-10
Version2026-annual
Releaseannual
Year2026

Index terms

Matched terms
Infection, infected, infective(opportunistic)

About this content

This page is prepared by HealthAssure's clinical team using official coding standards from ICD-10. AI tools assist with drafting explanations, which are then reviewed and verified by healthcare professionals for accuracy. This content is for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Meet our team.