Other infective bursitis, unspecified wrist

This code signifies an inflammatory condition of the bursa in the wrist, specifically caused by an infection, but without further specification of the exact type of infection or the specific bursa involved. It indicates an infectious etiology for wrist bursitis that is not otherwise classified.

Use this code when documentation clearly states "infective bursitis of the wrist" without specifying the infectious agent (e.g., bacterial, fungal) or the precise bursa affected (e.g., radial, ulnar). This code is appropriate when the provider has diagnosed an infection-related inflammation of a wrist bursa, but the details are not granular enough for a more specific code.

• Ensure documentation explicitly states "infective" or "septic" bursitis of the wrist.
• Avoid using this code if the specific infectious organism is identified; instead, code the specific infection.
• If the laterality (left or right wrist) is documented, use the appropriate laterality code (M71.131 or M71.132) instead of the unspecified code.