Drug-induced chronic gout, vertebrae, without tophus (tophi)

This code signifies a chronic inflammatory arthritis affecting the spine, specifically caused by a medication, without the presence of urate crystal deposits (tophi). It indicates a persistent form of gout where the vertebrae are involved due to an adverse drug effect.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states chronic gout of the vertebrae, explicitly linked to a drug as the causative agent, and notes the absence of tophi. This is appropriate for patients experiencing ongoing spinal pain and inflammation confirmed to be drug-induced gout.

• Ensure documentation specifies "chronic" gout and identifies the drug causing the condition.
• Verify the absence of tophi; if present, a different code would be required.
• Always code the adverse effect of the drug (T36-T50 with 5th or 6th character 5) as a secondary diagnosis.