M51.9 Unspecified thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorder

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026.

Applies from M51 Thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders

Excludes2 (not included here)

• cervical and cervicothoracic disc disorders (M50.-)
• sacral and sacrococcygeal disorders (M53.3)

MS-DRG index

Defines the logic of DRG(s) 551-552 in MDC 08.

Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)

• 722.90 Other and unspecified disc disorder, unspecified region (approximate)

Code annotations containing back-references to M51.9

Back-references to M51

• Type 1 Excludes: G54 Nerve root and plexus disorders ("intervertebral disc disorders (M50-M51)")
• Type 1 Excludes: M54.6 Pain in thoracic spine ("pain in thoracic spine due to intervertebral disc disorder (M51.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: S23.0 Traumatic rupture of thoracic intervertebral disc ("rupture or displacement (nontraumatic) of thoracic intervertebral disc NOS (M51.- with fifth character 4)")
• Type 1 Excludes: S33 Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments of lumbar spine and pelvis ("nontraumatic rupture or displacement of lumbar intervertebral disc NOS (M51.-)")
• Type 1 Excludes: S33.0 Traumatic rupture of lumbar intervertebral disc ("rupture or displacement (nontraumatic) of lumbar intervertebral disc NOS (M51.- with fifth character 6)")

Diagnosis Index entries for M51.9

• Defect, defective › intervertebral annular fibrosis
• Disorder (of) › disc (intervertebral)
• Neuritis (rheumatoid) › due to › herniation, nucleus pulposus

Nearby codes

• M51.8 Other thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders
• M51.84 Other intervertebral disc disorders, thoracic region
• M51.85 Other intervertebral disc disorders, thoracolumbar region
• M51.86 Other intervertebral disc disorders, lumbar region
• M51.87 Other intervertebral disc disorders, lumbosacral region
• M51.9 Unspecified thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorder (this code)
• M51.A Other lumbar and lumbosacral annulus fibrosus disc defects
• M51.A0 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, lumbar region, unspecified size
• M51.A1 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, small, lumbar region
• M51.A2 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, large, lumbar region
• M51.A3 Intervertebral annulus fibrosus defect, lumbosacral region, unspecified size