ICD-10 Guide

Avascular Necrosis Hip

ICD-10 Coding for Avascular Necrosis of the Hip(M87.05, M87.15)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYOrthopedics

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Avascular Necrosis Hip?

Essential facts and insights about Avascular Necrosis of the Hip

Key Clinical Considerations:

Pain in the hip joint, especially with weight-bearing activities
MRI or CT scan showing bone marrow edema or subchondral fractures
Limited range of motion and tenderness upon palpation of the hip

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient history including risk factors (e.g., corticosteroid use, alcohol abuse)
Imaging results and interpretation
Physical examination findings detailing pain and mobility limitations

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Usage guidelines: Use specific codes based on the affected hip side.
Common errors: Failing to document risk factors or misclassifying the condition.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Excluded conditions: Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis.
Alternative codes: Consider M87.0 for other types of avascular necrosis.

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Orthopedics

Specialty Applications

Patient populations: Adults, particularly those with risk factors like steroid use.
Clinical settings: Orthopedic clinics, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers.

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 physical exam findings.

Billing considerations?

Ensure accurate coding to reflect the specific site of avascular necrosis for proper reimbursement.

Avascular Necrosis Hip

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?

Avascular Necrosis Hip

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?