Spinal enthesopathy, multiple sites in spine

This code signifies inflammation or degeneration at the insertion points of tendons, ligaments, or joint capsules into bone, specifically affecting multiple locations within the vertebral column. It indicates a widespread inflammatory process impacting the spinal entheses, often associated with systemic inflammatory conditions.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates enthesopathy affecting more than one distinct spinal region (e.g., cervical and lumbar, or thoracic and sacral). This diagnosis is typically supported by clinical findings of pain, tenderness, and imaging evidence (e.g., MRI, X-ray) showing inflammation or structural changes at multiple spinal entheses.

• Ensure documentation specifies "multiple sites" in the spine; otherwise, a more specific single-site enthesopathy code may be appropriate.
• Always code any underlying systemic inflammatory condition (e.g., ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis) as the primary diagnosis, if known, with this code as a secondary diagnosis.
• Do not confuse with general back pain codes or codes for disc degeneration; enthesopathy specifically refers to the tendon/ligament-bone junction.