Staphylococcal arthritis, unspecified ankle and foot

This code signifies an inflammatory joint condition affecting an unspecified ankle or foot, specifically caused by a Staphylococcus bacterial infection. It represents an acute or chronic infectious arthritis where the causative organism has been identified as staphylococcal.

This code is appropriate when documentation clearly states a diagnosis of staphylococcal arthritis involving either the ankle or foot, without further specification of laterality. It should be used when laboratory cultures or other diagnostic tests confirm Staphylococcus as the etiologic agent.

• Ensure documentation specifies Staphylococcus as the causative organism; otherwise, use a code for unspecified bacterial arthritis.
• If laterality (right or left ankle/foot) is documented, a more specific code (M00.071, M00.072) should be selected.
• Always sequence the underlying infection code (e.g., B95.6 for Staphylococcus aureus) as a secondary diagnosis if applicable and not inherent in the primary code.