Staphylococcal polyarthritis

This code signifies a systemic inflammatory condition affecting multiple joints, specifically caused by a Staphylococcus bacterial infection. It represents a form of septic arthritis where the bacterial pathogen has disseminated to and infected several synovial joints throughout the body.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a diagnosis of polyarthritis (involving five or more joints) and laboratory confirmation or strong clinical evidence points to Staphylococcus as the causative organism. This diagnosis is typically supported by positive joint fluid cultures, blood cultures, or other relevant infectious disease workup.

• Ensure documentation specifies "polyarthritis" (multiple joints) and not just a single joint infection.
• Confirm the infectious agent is Staphylococcus; if the organism is different or unspecified, a different code will be required.
• Always sequence this code first if it is the primary reason for the encounter, followed by codes for specific affected joints if detailed.