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G96.02 ICD-10-CM Code: Spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak, spontaneous

Compare with another codeCheck this code on a claim

Billing Status: YES. This is a valid, specific, and billable ICD-10-CM reference.

Coding at a Glance

Tabular directives
1 inclusion term · 1 Excludes1 · 2 code-also instructions

Billable · FY2027A valid, specific ICD-10-CM code, reportable for dates of service in FY2027.

What you need to know

Source: CMS/NCHS Official ICD-10-CM tabular notes, quoted. From the CMS/NCHS tabular list for the release in force. A note the category or block publishes applies to this code too; the Instructions section marks which is which.

Excludes1Never report with this code
  • cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture (G97.0)
Code alsoMay be needed with this code
  • if applicable:
  • intracranial hypotension (G96.81-)
IncludesWhat this code covers
  • Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak from spine

Most relevant related codes MedCoder-derived

Read off the official notes above and this code’s own position in the tabular list. Which to report is a documentation question; Compare shows the two side by side.

CompareCheck ClaimView Related Codes

Inpatient Payment Groups (MS-DRG)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

MS-DRGs this diagnosis helps define, as principal or secondary, per the CMS ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG Definitions Manual v44, Appendix B.

  • MS-DRG 091 — OTHER DISORDERS OF NERVOUS SYSTEM WITH MCC (MDC 01)
  • MS-DRG 092 — OTHER DISORDERS OF NERVOUS SYSTEM WITH CC (MDC 01)
  • MS-DRG 093 — OTHER DISORDERS OF NERVOUS SYSTEM WITHOUT CC/MCC (MDC 01)
  • MS-DRG 791 — PREMATURITY WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)
  • MS-DRG 793 — FULL TERM NEONATE WITH MAJOR PROBLEMS (MDC 15)

A diagnosis appearing in a group's logic does not by itself determine the DRG assigned to a stay; the grouper uses the full claim.

Coding instructions

Official Tabular Instructional Notes: the inclusion, exclusion and sequencing notes published for G96.02 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list, quoted as published.

Source: CMS/CDC — ICD-10-CM Tabular ListRelease: FY2027Effective: October 1, 2026

Trace:FY2027 changesChange historyRelease, file and checksum

Notes without a marker are published on G96.02 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Inclusion Terms

Alternative terms the tabular list files under this code.

  • Spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak from spine

Excludes1 — Not Coded Here

Conditions generally not reported together with this code (Excludes1) -- an error unless the two conditions are documented as unrelated to each other (ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).

Source: inherited from G96.0

Code Also

Additional codes that may be required to fully describe the encounter.

  • if applicable:
  • intracranial hypotension (G96.81-)

Source: inherited from G96.0

Coder workflow for G96.02

MedCoder structured workflow — derived from this code’s own official record

Before you code G96.02

  1. Check the Excludes1 note: if the documentation supports a condition named there, do not simply proceed with G96.02. Excludes1 conditions are not reported together with this code unless the record shows they are unrelated (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

    See the official tabular notes

Choose the right path

  1. Does the documentation support a condition named in G96.02’s Excludes1 note?
    Yes → Do not simply proceed: review the excluded code. Both are reported only when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated.
    No → Continue.

    ReviewG97.0

Consider G96.02. Then review the Code Also note, and confirm the code is valid for the date of service in the Verify section.

Documentation check

The provider’s diagnostic statement
Codes are assigned from the provider’s documented diagnosis, not from clinical criteria, test values or a medication list (Guidelines I.A.19).

Official instructions as workflow

  • Excludes1 — check before selecting G96.02(1 note)

    Coding workflow: If the documentation supports a condition named in this note, do not simply proceed with G96.02: the two are not reported together. The one exception is when the record shows the two conditions are unrelated to each other.

    CompareG97.0

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.12.a

  • Code Also — related condition(2 notes)

    Coding workflow: Review the related condition when both are documented and the instruction applies. A Code Also note does not fix sequencing; the order follows the circumstances of the encounter.

    ReviewG96.81

    See the official tabular notes · Guidelines I.A.17

Coding decision scenarios

Pattern scenarios for this code’s structure — decision rules, not clinical cases

Documentation: Both the condition G96.02 describes and a condition named in its Excludes1 note are documented for the same encounter.

Coding question: Can both codes be reported?

Path: Review the Excludes1 note and the excluded code, and look for a provider statement on whether the two conditions are related.

Reason: Excludes1 means the two are not coded together; the exception is when the record shows the conditions are unrelated to each other (Guidelines I.A.12.a).

ReviewG97.0

Every row is derived from this code’s own record — its title, tabular notes, 7th-character family and same-category siblings — with fixed MedCoder wording; nothing is inferred about a patient. The official notes and guideline text are in the sections each row links to, and they control.

Don’t confuse G96.02 with…

MedCoder analysis — pairs from this code’s official notes, distinctions written by MedCoder

The codes most likely to be picked instead of G96.02 — named in its own official notes, or sharing its laterality or encounter family — with what separates them and which documentation moves the case. Each links to the full comparison.

  • G97.0— Excludes1 conflict (Excludes1 — generally not reported together)

    Not coded here — the tabular list excludes this pair for the same encounter.

    Not reported together with this code, except where the two conditions are documented as unrelated.

    What moves you there: Documentation of cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture moves the case to G97.0; the two are not reported together unless documented as unrelated.

    Full comparison: G96.02 vs G97.0 →

  • G96.00— Specificity relationship (Review)

    Overlapping diagnoses in the same category.

    Overlapping codes in the same category — the documentation decides which is the more specific fit.

    What moves you there: A record that documents no more than “Cerebrospinal fluid leak, unspecified” takes G96.00; specificity in the record moves it back here.

    Full comparison: G96.02 vs G96.00 →

Relationships are read from this code's own official notes, its laterality siblings and its encounter family; the wording of each distinction is MedCoder editorial, and the documentation named in each “what moves you there” line is the official note phrase or sibling title itself. Source: CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes; ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a.

Coding context

Guidelines, coding notes, decision aids, relationships (with MS-DRG and CCSR classification), hierarchy, HCC, coverage and the context map: what a coder reaches for after the core. Each section names whether it is official source data, a MedCoder-derived relationship or MedCoder editorial.

Code Overview

Spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak, spontaneous is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (G96.02).

MedCoder summary Summary composed by MedCoder from this code's official ICD-10-CM record. The tabular instructional notes themselves appear verbatim below.

Verify Before Coding

  • CC as a secondary diagnosis (FY2027). Can raise the stay's MS-DRG severity tier.

From the code registry, the Medicare Code Editor, and the MS-DRG Definitions Manual. Check it against a full claim in Claim Check.

Relationships & Classification

MedCoder-derived relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name G96.02 or its code family, from the CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes. Tabular-note edges are stored at the code family level that carries each note.

Referenced by 1 Code Also instruction: G96.81 — Intracranial hypotension.

These codes suggest coding this condition alongside when both are present.

MS-DRG Grouper Relationships (FY2027)

Potential MS-DRG participation — not a DRG assignment.

FY2027 MS-DRG: CC — Complication or Comorbidity. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, this code raises the stay's MS-DRG severity tier — except when the principal diagnosis is one of 5 clinically related codes on its CMS exclusion list.

Named in the grouper logic of 5 MS-DRGs: DRG 091 (MDC 01), DRG 092 (MDC 01), DRG 093 (MDC 01), DRG 791 (MDC 15), DRG 793 (MDC 15).

From the CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (Appendices B and C). Actual DRG assignment depends on the complete claim.

Clinical classification (AHRQ CCSR):NVS020 — Other nervous system disorders (neither hereditary nor degenerative) (default).

Clinical Classifications Software Refined (CCSR) for ICD-10-CM Diagnoses. Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Related Codes

Same clinical process (MS-DRG)

Acts as CC — raises the severity of other admissions. CMS groups these diagnoses into one MS-DRG principal-diagnosis exclusion process — a CC/MCC on this list never raises severity when the principal diagnosis is also on it.

G96.00 — Cerebrospinal fluid leak, unspecified, G96.01 — Cranial cerebrospinal fluid leak, spontaneous, G96.08 — Other cranial cerebrospinal fluid leak, G96.09 — Other spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Other nervous system disorders (neither hereditary nor degenerative)).

G95.11 — Acute infarction of spinal cord (embolic) (nonembolic), G95.19 — Other vascular myelopathies, G95.20 — Unspecified cord compression, G95.29 — Other cord compression, G95.81 — Conus medullaris syndrome, G95.89 — Other specified diseases of spinal cord, G95.9 — Disease of spinal cord, unspecified, G96.0 — Cerebrospinal fluid leak, G96.00 — Cerebrospinal fluid leak, unspecified, G96.01 — Cranial cerebrospinal fluid leak, spontaneous, G96.08 — Other cranial cerebrospinal fluid leak, G96.09 — Other spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak, G96.11 — Dural tear, G96.12 — Meningeal adhesions (cerebral) (spinal), G96.19 — Other disorders of meninges, not elsewhere classified, G96.191 — Perineural cyst, G96.198 — Other disorders of meninges, not elsewhere classified, G96.8 — Other specified disorders of central nervous system, G96.810 — Intracranial hypotension, unspecified, G96.811 — Intracranial hypotension, spontaneous, +97 more

Same Index main term, other category

The ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries files this code under the main term “Leak, leakage”; these codes share that main term but sit in a different category of the Tabular List.

G97.0 — Cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture (cerebrospinal fluid, from spinalpuncture), J93.82 — Other air leak (air NEC), J95.812 — Postprocedural air leak (air NEC, postprocedural), T82.43 — Leakage of vascular dialysis catheter (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC, dialysis), T82.534 — Leakage of infusion catheter (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC, infusion NEC), T82.838 — Hemorrhage due to vascular prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (device, implant or graft, arterial graft NEC), T83.030 — Leakage of cystostomy catheter (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC, urinary, cystostomy), T83.031 — Leakage of indwelling urethral catheter (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC, urinary, indwelling), T83.032 — Leakage of nephrostomy catheter (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC, urinary, nephrostomy), T83.038 — Leakage of other urinary catheter (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC, urinary), T83.23 — Leakage of graft of urinary organ (device, implant or graft, urinary NEC, graft), T83.490 — Other mechanical complication of implanted penile prosthesis (device, implant or graft, genital NEC, penile prosthesis), T83.491 — Other mechanical complication of implanted testicular prosthesis (device, implant or graft, genital NEC, testicular prosthesis), T83.498 — Other mechanical complication of other prosthetic devices, implants and grafts of genital tract (device, implant or graft, genital NEC), T85.03 — Leakage of ventricular intracranial (communicating) shunt (device, implant or graft, ventricular intracranial shunt), T85.43 — Leakage of breast prosthesis and implant (device, implant or graft, breast), T85.630 — Leakage of cranial or spinal infusion catheter (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC, infusion NEC, spinal), T85.631 — Leakage of intraperitoneal dialysis catheter (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC, dialysis, intraperitoneal), T85.638 — Leakage of other specified internal prosthetic devices, implants and grafts (device, implant or graft, catheter NEC)

Lab tests where this diagnosis supports Medicare coverage (NCD)

Medicare's National Coverage Determination (NCD) program lists this diagnosis as medical justification for these lab tests.

Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) Test, Prothrombin Time Test and INR (PT/INR)

Contextual Map

Every relationship of G96.02 in one view: hierarchy, official tabular instructions in both directions, clinical classification, risk adjustment, MS-DRG participation, index terms and change history — each edge carrying the CMS source it derives from.

Run G96.02 with this related code in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Referenced by Code Also instructions

Clinical classification (CCSR)

MS-DRG Grouper

MDC crossing

  • MDC 01 — Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System[MDC crossing]: “Diseases and Disorders of the Nervous System — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs. 8,919 same-MDC procedures group here; browse them on the MDC page.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2027
  • MDC 15 — Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period[MDC crossing]: “Newborns and Other Neonates with Conditions Originating in Perinatal Period — the grouper's crossing between diagnoses and procedures: a principal diagnosis sets the MDC, and same-MDC procedures move the stay to its surgical DRGs.”— CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual · FY2027

Index entries

  • Leak, leakage, cerebrospinal fluid, spinal, spontaneous[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Leak, leakage, cerebrospinal fluid, spontaneous, from, spine[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027

Nearest codes (19)

Change history

Reference

Index terms and tables, published questions and FAQ, every source behind this page with its release and checksum, the date-of-service check and the complete change history.

Indexed Clinical Terms (2)

Official source data — entries quoted as published, in the Index’s own lookup phrasing

Clinical term phrases from the official ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries that map to this code. These are alphabetic-index entries shown as the Index writes them — lookup phrasing, not necessarily the wording of a final diagnosis.

Sources for this page

Codes, titles, notes, index terms and mappings on this page are transcribed from the datasets below. Relationships MedCoder computed and text MedCoder wrote are labelled where they appear.

Code, title, tabular notes and index terms Official source data
CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM FY2027 tabular list, index and tables, effective October 1, 2026 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Claim edits Official source data
CMS Definitions of Medicare Code Edits — v44.0 (October 2026) Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Inpatient payment groups Official source data
CMS MS-DRG Definitions Manual (incl. Appendix B diagnosis index, Appendix C CC/MCC list, Appendix E procedure index) and IPPS Final Rule tables — v44 Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Change history and date-of-service validity Official source data
CMS ICD-10-CM release addenda, ingested release by release into the change ledger Release, file and checksum · Publisher’s page
Comparisons, relationships and the contextual map MedCoder-derived relationship
Computed by MedCoder from the tabular notes and tables above; every derived relationship is marked as derived where it appears
Summary and FAQ answers MedCoder editorial explanation
Written by MedCoder to explain the sources above: drafted with AI assistance, checked by a person against the release files, and labelled as MedCoder text where it appears. Not official text.

Current data releases:ICD-10-CM FY2027 · ICD-10-PCS FY2027 · HCPCS October 2026 · MS-DRG v44 · Medicare Code Editor v44.0 · NCCI PTP Q4 2026 · MUE Q4 2026 · NCD code lists 2026-01 · LCD export September 20, 2026 · All releases and sources

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder-derived relationship · MedCoder editorial explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates · CMS coding rules

Cite this page

Reference this page in a research guide, syllabus or article. The release is included because code content changes each year.

MedCoder.ai. "G96.02 — Spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak, spontaneous." ICD-10-CM FY2027. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/g96.02-spinal-cerebrospinal-fluid-leak-spontaneous

Change history

  • FY2021 — October 1, 2020
    Added to the code set
    Spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak, spontaneous
    FY2021 changes

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to G96.02 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the G96 family