Other chronic osteomyelitis, right shoulder

This diagnosis code signifies a persistent, long-standing infection of the bone in the right shoulder, excluding acute forms or those specifically due to a bacterial pathogen like Staphylococcus aureus. It indicates an inflammatory process within the bone and bone marrow that has become chronic.

This code is appropriate for documenting cases of chronic osteomyelitis affecting the right shoulder, often following trauma, surgery, or hematogenous spread, where the specific causative organism is not identified or is not Staphylococcus aureus. Documentation should clearly state "chronic osteomyelitis" and specify the "right shoulder" as the affected site.

• Ensure documentation specifies "chronic" and not "acute" osteomyelitis.
• Verify the laterality (right shoulder) is clearly documented.
• If the causative organism is identified as Staphylococcus aureus, a more specific code from the M86.3- or M86.4- series would be appropriate.