Unspecified site of spinal cord injury without evidence of spinal bone injury

This code represents a traumatic injury to the spinal cord where the specific anatomical location (e.g., cervical, thoracic, lumbar) is not documented, and there is no associated fracture or dislocation of the vertebral column. It signifies neurological deficit resulting from spinal cord trauma without a bony component.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a spinal cord injury but lacks specificity regarding the level of injury, and imaging or clinical assessment confirms the absence of a spinal fracture or dislocation. This is often an interim diagnosis when the full extent and location of the injury are still being evaluated.

• Avoid using this code if a more specific site of spinal cord injury (e.g., cervical, thoracic) is documented.
• Ensure documentation explicitly states "without evidence of spinal bone injury" or similar to support the "without bone injury" component.
• Consider if an external cause code (E-code) is also necessary to describe the circumstances of the injury.