The facet joints are located in the spinal canal. Bilateral facet arthropathy is arthritis in the facet joints of the back.
The ICD-9 code for lumbar facet arthropathy is 721.3. Lumbar facet arthropathy is a degenerative condition of the lumbar facet joints in the spine which shows arthritic changes.
uncovertbral arthropathy at c4-5
Moderate facet arthropathy is Arthritis in the facet joints. Most people that have this will complain of pain in their lower back. Facet joints are joint structures that connect the vertebrae to each other.
what is moderate uncovertebral arthropathy
what does moderate facet arthropathy l5-s1 mean
The facet joints connect the posterior elements of the vertebral bodies to one another. Like the bones that form other joints in the human body, such as the hip, knee, or elbow, the articular surfaces of the facet joints are covered by a layer of smooth cartilage, surrounded by a strong capsule of ligaments, and lubricated by synovial fluid. J Just like the hip and the knee, the facet joints can also become arthritic and painful, and they can be a source of back pain. The pain and discomfort that is caused by degeneration and arthritis of this part of the spine is called facet arthropathy, which simply means a disease or abnormality of the facet joints.
Mild facet arthropathy refers to degenerative changes in the facet joints of the spine, commonly caused by wear and tear over time. Symptoms may include back pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. Treatment options may include physical therapy, pain management, and activity modification.
There is generalised affection of the facet joints. Anatomist call those joints as zygapophyseal joints.
what does bilateral facet arthropathy mean
Hypertrophic facet joint is where the joint becomes enlarged as a result of degeneration. The joints are connected and impact the spinal vertebrae.
Problem - There is no ICD-9-CM entry for Facet Arthropathy, so you must become Sherlock Holmes, and investigate. Investigation #1 - The ICD-9-CM Index directs those seeking "Arthropathy" to 716.9x, so you would code Facet Arthropathy as 716.98. This is a non-specific code. Investigation #2 - Arthropathy is defined as "Disease of a joint". If you look up "Disease, joint, spine" in the ICD-9-CM Index, you are directed to the 721.x Spondylosis codes. You can achieve a greater level of specificity with this code. Conclusion - A common diagnosis for Facet Joint Injections is Facet Arthropathy. Some states have Medicare LCDs for the Facet procedure, and they accept 721.x as a diagnosis, but not 716.98. Since you want to get paid, go with 721.x. Caution! In ICD9-CM, at the beginning of Chapter 13 you will see that codes 710-719 exclude disorders of the spine (720-724.9). I would not use 716.98.