Juvenile osteochondrosis affecting the humeral epiphysis or apophysis on the left side, classified under other juvenile osteochondroses (M92.0) within the osteopathies and chondropathies section.

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M92.02.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

• Explicitly document 'left' humerus in the assessment — 'left arm' or 'left elbow' as appropriate to the affected growth center.
• Record the patient's age and skeletal maturity status; M92.02 is valid only while growth plates are open.
• Identify the specific humeral growth center involved (e.g., capitellum, proximal humeral epiphysis) to support clinical specificity and medical necessity.
• Note imaging findings that confirm osteochondrosis: radiographic fragmentation, flattening, sclerosis, or MRI signal changes at the affected epiphysis.
• Document whether the patient participates in overhead or throwing sports, as this supports the clinical context for Panner disease or related humeral osteochondroses.
• Record prior conservative care attempts (rest, activity modification, physical therapy duration) if escalating to procedural intervention.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M92.02. Linking the right diagnosis to the right procedure is what establishes medical necessity.

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

Common coding pitfalls

The recurring mistakes coders make with M92.02 and adjacent codes.

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

• Coding M92.09 (unspecified arm) when the note clearly names the left side — always capture documented laterality.
• Using an adult chondropathy code for a skeletally immature patient whose growth plates are still open; M92.02 is the correct category until physeal closure.
• Confusing Panner disease (capitellum osteochondrosis, coded M92.02 for the left) with osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow, which maps to a different code category (M93.2x).
• Selecting a shoulder-region code when the pathology is at the humeral capitellum or distal humerus — the humerus bone spans shoulder and elbow, so specify the growth center in the note to justify M92.02.
• Billing M92.0 (the non-billable parent) instead of the laterality-specific M92.01, M92.02, or M92.09 child codes.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M92.0 (laterality / anatomic variants).