ICD-10-CM · Elbow

M92.12

M92.12 identifies juvenile osteochondrosis affecting the radius and/or ulna of the left arm — a pediatric chondropathy involving disrupted ossification at the radial head (Brailsford disease) or the lower ulna (Burns disease).

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Status: Billable
Chapter: 13
Related CPT: 7
Region: Elbow

Drawn from CDCICD10DataAAPCCMSUnboundmedicine

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M92.12.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Specify left arm explicitly in the assessment — 'left radial head osteochondrosis' or 'left ulnar osteochondrosis (Burns)' — to justify M92.12 over M92.10.
Record skeletal maturity status or patient age to support the 'juvenile' classification; adult osteochondrosis maps to different codes.
Document imaging findings that confirm the diagnosis — plain radiograph changes, MRI signal abnormalities, or evidence of fragmentation/irregularity at the radial head or distal ulna.
If both arms are involved, document bilateral involvement clearly so both M92.11 and M92.12 can be reported; a single unspecified code will underrepresent the clinical picture.
Note whether this is Brailsford disease (radial head) or Burns disease (lower ulna) — while both map to M92.12, specificity in the note supports audit defense and clinical continuity.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M92.12. Linking the right diagnosis to the right procedure is what establishes medical necessity.

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

24000 $461.27

Open surgical incision into the elbow joint for exploration, drainage of fluid or infection, or removal of loose bodies such as bone fragments or cartilage debris.

24101 $482.64

Open elbow joint surgery involving incision into the joint capsule for exploration, with or without tissue biopsy, and with or without removal of a loose or foreign body.

24105 $358.06

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

25000 $340.36

Surgical incision into the extensor tendon sheath at the wrist to decompress and release a constricted or contracted tendon.

25040 $524.73

Open incision into the radiocarpal or midcarpal joint of the wrist for exploration, drainage, or foreign body removal

73090 View procedure details

73092 View procedure details

Common coding pitfalls

The recurring mistakes coders make with M92.12 and adjacent codes.

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

Defaulting to M92.10 (unspecified arm) when the provider has clearly documented left-sided disease — always capture documented laterality.
Using M92.12 for an adult patient: osteochondrosis in a skeletally mature patient does not qualify as juvenile osteochondrosis and requires a different code.
Reporting a single unspecified bilateral code when bilateral disease is documented — there is no bilateral M92.1 code; report M92.11 + M92.12 separately.
Confusing M92.12 with M92.32 (other juvenile osteochondrosis, left upper limb) — M92.32 is a catch-all for upper limb sites not covered by M92.0–M92.2; the radius and ulna have their own subcategory under M92.1.
Failing to check the Type 1 Excludes at the M91–M94 block level before pairing M92.12 with any M96.- postprocedural chondropathy code for the same site.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

M92.12 applies when a skeletally immature patient presents with osteochondrosis localized to the left radius or ulna. The parent category M92.1 covers two named eponyms: osteochondrosis of the radial head (Brailsford) and osteochondrosis of the lower ulna (Burns). Both map to M92.12 when the left arm is affected — no additional specificity code distinguishes between the two at this level of the hierarchy.

Use M92.12 only when the provider has documented left-sided involvement. If laterality is not documented, default to M92.10 (unspecified arm). For confirmed bilateral involvement, report M92.11 (right) and M92.12 (left) together — there is no single bilateral code in this subcategory. The condition is grouped into MS-DRG 553 (Bone diseases and arthropathies with MCC) or 554 (without MCC) for inpatient encounters.

This code sits within the chondropathies block M91–M94. The Type 1 Excludes note at that block level bars simultaneous use of M96.- (postprocedural chondropathies) — do not report M92.12 alongside a postprocedural chondropathy code for the same site. Because these are pediatric diagnoses, payer policies may require age-appropriate documentation; confirm the patient is skeletally immature at the time of diagnosis.

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M92.1 (laterality / anatomic variants).

M92.11

Juvenile osteochondrosis of radius and ulna, right arm

M92.10

Juvenile osteochondrosis of radius and ulna, unspecified arm

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓

01What is the difference between M92.12 and M92.10?

M92.10 is the unspecified-arm code used when laterality is not documented. M92.12 is left-arm specific. If the provider documents left-sided disease, M92.12 is required — M92.10 is not a valid fallback when laterality is known.

02Does M92.12 cover both Brailsford disease and Burns disease?

Yes. The Applicable To note under parent code M92.1 lists both osteochondrosis of the radial head (Brailsford) and osteochondrosis of the lower ulna (Burns). Both conditions map to M92.12 when the left arm is affected — no 7th character or additional code separates them.

03How do I code bilateral juvenile osteochondrosis of the radius and ulna?

Report M92.11 (right arm) and M92.12 (left arm) together. There is no single bilateral code under M92.1. Bilateral involvement must be documented by the provider to support both codes.

04Can M92.12 be used for an adult patient?

No. 'Juvenile' osteochondrosis applies to skeletally immature patients. Using M92.12 for a skeletally mature adult is a misclassification. Osteochondrosis in adults maps to different codes outside the M92 juvenile category.

05What MS-DRGs does M92.12 group into for inpatient billing?

M92.12 groups to MS-DRG 553 (Bone diseases and arthropathies with MCC) or MS-DRG 554 (without MCC) under MS-DRG v43.0, per CMS grouping data.

06Are there any Excludes notes that affect M92.12?

The chondropathies block M91–M94 carries a Type 1 Excludes for postprocedural chondropathies (M96.-). Do not report M92.12 simultaneously with an M96.- code for the same anatomical site — they are mutually exclusive by definition.

07What imaging documentation supports M92.12 at audit?

Plain radiographs showing irregularity, fragmentation, or sclerosis of the radial head or distal ulnar epiphysis in a pediatric patient best support M92.12. MRI findings of signal change or avascular changes at the same sites also strengthen documentation. Record the specific imaging modality, date, and relevant findings in the assessment.

Sources & references

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

Mira AI Scribe

Mira AI Scribe captures the provider's explicit laterality call (left arm), the bones named (radius, ulna, or both), any eponym used (Brailsford, Burns), the patient's age or skeletal maturity status, and imaging findings such as radiographic fragmentation or MRI changes at the radial head or distal ulna. Capturing these elements prevents a drop to the unspecified M92.10, which can trigger payer queries and delay authorization for follow-up imaging or casting.

See how Mira captures M92.12 documentation