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M25.472 vs M25.473

M25.472 (Effusion, left ankle) compared with M25.473 (Effusion, unspecified ankle), from the official CMS tabular data. M25.472 and M25.473 code the same condition on opposite sides. MedCoder-derived

Relationship

Review

Laterality relationship

M25.472
Left
Effusion, left ankle
M25.473
Unspecified
Effusion, unspecified ankle

Same condition; these differ only in which side is documented.

These codes share a category and title and differ only in the side affected. The documentation decides which applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Source: ICD-10-CM tabular list (laterality variant derived from the code title)

Can these codes be reported together?

Same condition, opposite side. M25.472 and M25.473 name the same condition on opposite sides of the body.

Same category and title, differing only in which side is affected — the documentation decides which one applies, and a bilateral code is reported only where the code set provides one.

Side by side

M25.472Effusion, left ankleM25.473Effusion, unspecified ankle
Billing statusBillableBillable
ClassificationM00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99)M00-M99 — Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue (M00-M99)
DefinitionEffusion, left ankle is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M25.472).Effusion, unspecified ankle is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (M25.473).

Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). Not billing advice; verify sequencing rules for the encounter. All data sources