Pneumococcal arthritis, left wrist

This code signifies an inflammatory joint condition of the left wrist caused by a Streptococcus pneumoniae bacterial infection. It represents a specific type of septic arthritis where the pneumococcus bacterium has invaded the synovial fluid and tissues of the wrist joint.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of arthritis in the left wrist, with laboratory confirmation or strong clinical evidence pointing to Streptococcus pneumoniae as the causative agent. This typically follows positive synovial fluid cultures or other diagnostic tests identifying pneumococcal infection.

• Always confirm the specific joint involved (left wrist) and the infectious agent (pneumococcal) from the physician's documentation and lab results.
• Do not confuse with other forms of infectious arthritis or non-infectious inflammatory arthropathies.
• Consider sequencing this code with a code for the underlying pneumococcal infection if it's still active and being treated, following ICD-10-CM guidelines for infectious conditions.