ICD-10 Guide

Paraspinal Abscess

ICD-10 Coding for Paraspinal Abscess(M60.08)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYNeurosurgery

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Paraspinal Abscess?

Essential facts and insights about Paraspinal Abscess

Key Clinical Considerations:

Localized back pain and tenderness
Neurological deficits such as weakness or sensory loss
Fever and systemic signs of infection

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient history including onset and duration of symptoms
Imaging results (MRI/CT) showing abscess location
Surgical notes if drainage or excision was performed

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Follow guidelines for coding abscesses based on location and type.
Common errors include misclassifying the abscess type or location.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Other types of spinal infections (e.g., discitis)
Non-infectious conditions causing back pain

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Neurosurgery

Specialty Applications

Patients with spinal infections, immunocompromised individuals
Neurosurgery and infectious disease settings

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Include detailed patient history, imaging results, and treatment plans.

Billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding to reflect the complexity of the case and any surgical interventions.

Paraspinal Abscess

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?

Paraspinal Abscess

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?