ICD-10 code for pyogenic or pyemic arthritis

The ICD-10-CM code for pyogenic or pyemic arthritis is M00.9 (Pyogenic arthritis, unspecified). The official index lists 10 more specific codes, so check the documentation for details such as type, cause, site or severity before settling on M00.9.

Within M00, choose M00.9 (unspecified) only when documentation doesn't support a more specific option: staphylococcal arthritis and polyarthritis (M00.0), Pneumococcal arthritis and polyarthritis (M00.1), other streptococcal arthritis and polyarthritis (M00.2) and arthritis and polyarthritis due to other bacteria (M00.8).

As a secondary diagnosis it is a CC (complication or comorbidity), which can move an inpatient stay into the "with CC" MS-DRG of its family, unless the principal diagnosis excludes it.

In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 400 (Knee Procedures with Principal Diagnosis of Infection, relative weight 2.0248), DRG 548 (Septic Arthritis with MCC, relative weight 1.9519), DRG 549 (Septic Arthritis with CC, relative weight 1.1435) and DRG 550 (Septic Arthritis without CC/MCC, relative weight 0.8591), in MDC 08 (Diseases and Disorders of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue), as a principal or secondary diagnosis. The DRG a claim lands in depends on the principal diagnosis, procedures and any CC/MCC secondary diagnoses.