ICD-10-CM · Elbow

M70.22

M70.22 identifies non-infective olecranon bursitis of the left elbow — inflammation of the bursa overlying the left olecranon process, typically caused by repetitive pressure, trauma, or occupational overuse.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 7 sources ↓

Status: Billable
Chapter: 13
Related CPT: 5
Region: Elbow

Drawn from CDCICD10DataAAPCIcdcodesCMS

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M70.22.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 7 cited references ↓

Explicitly name the affected side — 'left elbow' — in the assessment; unspecified laterality forces a drop to M70.20 and may trigger a payer query.
Document the absence of infection indicators (no fever, no erythema/warmth, no positive culture) to support M70.22 over M71.122; a brief statement like 'non-infective olecranon bursitis' is sufficient.
Record the mechanism or occupational context (e.g., repetitive leaning on elbow, direct trauma) to satisfy the M70 category's occupational origin notation and support medical necessity.
If aspiration or injection is performed, document bursal fluid appearance and, when sent, lab results (WBC, Gram stain, culture) — these findings anchor the infective vs. non-infective distinction on audit.
Append a Y93.- activity code when the bursitis is directly linked to a documented occupational or recreational activity, per the M70 Use Additional instruction.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M70.22. Linking the right diagnosis to the right procedure is what establishes medical necessity.

Source · CMS LCDs · AAOS specialty guidance · claims-pattern analysis

20610 $68.81

Aspiration and/or injection of a major joint or bursa (shoulder, hip, knee, or subacromial bursa) performed without ultrasound guidance.

20605 $57.12

Aspiration and/or injection of an intermediate joint or bursa — such as the wrist, elbow, ankle, acromioclavicular joint, or olecranon bursa — performed without ultrasound guidance.

73070 $29.39

Radiographic examination of the elbow joint using a minimum of 2 views to evaluate bone structure and surrounding tissues.

73080 $33.07

Radiologic examination of the elbow, complete, requiring a minimum of three views.

24105 $358.06

Surgical removal of the olecranon bursa at the posterior elbow, performed as a complete excision rather than drainage or aspiration.

Common coding pitfalls

The recurring mistakes coders make with M70.22 and adjacent codes.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CDC ICD-10-CM tabular guidance, AAOS coding references, and cited references ↓

Coding M70.22 when bursal fluid culture is positive or the provider documents septic bursitis — that presentation requires M71.122, and using M70.22 in its place misrepresents clinical severity and may cause claim denial.
Defaulting to M70.20 (unspecified elbow) when the note clearly says 'left' — always code to the highest specificity; most payers flag unspecified laterality codes as insufficient when the site is clinically documented.
Omitting the Y93.- external cause activity code when the etiology is occupational or activity-related — the M70 category explicitly instructs its use, and missing it can weaken medical necessity support.
Confusing M70.22 with M70.32 (Other bursitis of elbow, left) — M70.32 covers non-olecranon elbow bursae; if the provider specifies olecranon, use M70.22.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 7 cited references ↓

Use M70.22 when the provider documents olecranon bursitis of the left elbow and the condition is non-infective in nature. This code lives under M70 (Soft tissue disorders related to use, overuse, and pressure), so documentation should reflect a mechanical or occupational etiology — repetitive elbow contact, prolonged pressure, or acute trauma — rather than a confirmed infection.

The critical branch point is infection status. If bursal fluid culture is positive, WBC is markedly elevated, or the provider documents septic bursitis, code M71.122 (Other infective bursitis, left elbow) instead. M70.22 is explicitly excluded from M71.122, and the two codes are not interchangeable. When infection status is undocumented or unclear at the time of the encounter, query the provider before defaulting to M70.22.

The M70 category carries an Includes note for soft tissue disorders of occupational origin and a Use Additional instruction to append an external cause activity code (Y93.-) when the disorder is tied to a specific activity. M70.22 groups into MS-DRG 557 (with MCC) or 558 (without MCC) for inpatient claims. M70.20 (unspecified elbow) is available but should only be used when laterality is genuinely not documented — an uncommon scenario given that the elbow is a paired, easily identified joint.

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M70.2 (laterality / anatomic variants).

M70.21

Olecranon bursitis, right elbow

M70.20

Olecranon bursitis, unspecified elbow

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 7 cited references ↓

01When should I use M70.22 vs. M71.122 for left elbow bursitis?

Use M70.22 for non-infective olecranon bursitis — no confirmed pathogen, no markedly elevated bursal fluid WBC, no positive culture. Switch to M71.122 when the provider documents septic or infective bursitis, or when lab findings (positive Gram stain or culture, WBC >10,000/mm³) confirm infection. The two codes are mutually exclusive under ICD-10-CM.

02Can I bill M70.22 if the provider didn't document the cause of the bursitis?

Yes — M70.22 does not require a documented occupational cause to be valid. However, if the M70 category's occupational origin note applies to the specific encounter, you should append a Y93.- activity code. The code is billable even when etiology is not fully characterized, as long as laterality and the non-infective nature are clear.

03Is M70.20 ever appropriate, or should I always use M70.22 for a confirmed left-sided case?

M70.20 (unspecified elbow) is valid only when laterality is genuinely absent from the documentation — a rare scenario for an elbow. If the note says 'left,' use M70.22. Coding unspecified when specificity exists is a known audit flag and may result in payer downcoding or denial.

04What CPT codes are commonly billed alongside M70.22?

Aspiration or injection of the olecranon bursa typically pairs with 20610 (arthrocentesis, large joint) or 20605 (intermediate joint, depending on payer policy for bursal injections). Elbow X-rays (73070, 73080) support the diagnosis. Surgical excision of the olecranon bursa is reported with 24105. CMS's pain management billing article explicitly lists M70.22 as a supporting diagnosis for bursal injection claims.

05Does M70.22 require a 7th-character extension?

No. M70.22 is an M-code (musculoskeletal disease), not an injury S-code. The A/D/S 7th-character extensions apply to trauma injury codes, not to soft tissue disorder codes in Chapter 13. M70.22 is complete as a 5-character code.

06What MS-DRG does M70.22 map to for inpatient claims?

M70.22 groups to MS-DRG 557 (Tendonitis, myositis and bursitis with MCC) or MS-DRG 558 (Tendonitis, myositis and bursitis without MCC) under MS-DRG v43.0. The presence or absence of a major complication or comorbidity drives which DRG is assigned.

07Can M70.22 and M71.122 be billed together on the same claim?

No. ICD-10-CM places non-infective olecranon bursitis (M70.2-) in an Excludes1 relationship with infective bursitis (M71.1-), meaning they cannot be reported as coexisting conditions for the same site at the same encounter. Assign one or the other based on documented infection status.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira AI Scribe

Mira's AI scribe captures laterality (left elbow, confirmed in documentation), clinical indicators ruling out infection (absence of fever, erythema, or positive culture), mechanism of injury or occupational exposure, and any imaging or aspiration findings. This prevents laterality downcoding to M70.20, guards against misassignment to M71.122, and ensures the Y93.- activity code is flagged when an occupational or recreational cause is documented.

See how Mira captures M70.22 documentation