Other secondary osteonecrosis, unspecified hand

This code signifies the death of bone tissue in an unspecified hand due to a secondary cause, meaning it's a complication of another underlying condition or treatment rather than a primary disease process. This osteonecrosis is not further specified as to the exact bone or etiology within the hand.

Apply this code when documentation confirms avascular necrosis of an unspecified hand bone, and the physician explicitly links it to a secondary cause such as corticosteroid use, trauma, radiation, or a systemic disease. Ensure the documentation clearly states "secondary" and does not specify a particular carpal bone.

• Do not use this code if the specific carpal bone affected is documented (e.g., lunate, scaphoid); instead, use a more specific code from the M87.1- or M87.2- series.
• Always sequence an underlying condition code first if the secondary osteonecrosis is a manifestation of a systemic disease (e.g., lupus, sickle cell anemia).
• Ensure the physician's documentation explicitly states "secondary" and "unspecified hand" to support the use of this code.