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G97.0 ICD-10-CM Code: Cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture

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

Coding at a Glance

Tabular directives
1 Excludes2 · 2 code-also instructions

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 G97.0 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 G97.0 itself; “inherited from” names the category or block whose note applies here.

Excludes2 — Not Included Here

Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.

Source: inherited from G97

Code Also

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

  • any associated diagnoses or complications, such as:
  • intracranial hypotension following a procedure (G97.83-G97.84)
    G97.83-G97.84: G97.83, G97.84

Coder workflow for G97.0

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

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

  • Excludes2 — not part of G97.0(1 note)

    Coding workflow: The conditions named in this note are not included in G97.0. When the record documents both, both may be reported; the note is a boundary, not a prohibition.

    CompareI97.81, I97.82

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

  • 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.

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

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 G97.0 with…

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

The codes most likely to be picked instead of G97.0 — 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.

  • I97.81— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of intraoperative and postprocedural cerebrovascular infarction adds I97.81; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: G97.0 vs I97.81 →

  • I97.82— Excludes2 relationship (Informational)

    Distinct conditions — both may be reported.

    A distinct condition — both may be reported when both are documented.

    What moves you there: Documentation of intraoperative and postprocedural cerebrovascular infarction adds I97.82; it is not part of this code and both may be reported when both are documented.

    Full comparison: G97.0 vs I97.82 →

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.

Code Overview

Cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (G97.0).

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

Indexed Clinical Terms (6)

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.

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 structured relationships — computed from published CMS and AHRQ datasets

Other codes that name G97.0 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 Excludes1 note: G96.0 — Cerebrospinal fluid leak.

These codes’ tabular lists mark this diagnosis as mutually exclusive — not reported together unless the conditions are documented as unrelated.

Referenced by 10 Excludes2 notes: T80 — Complications following infusion, transfusion and therapeutic injection, T80-T88 — Complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified (T80-T88), T81 — Complications of procedures, not elsewhere classified, T82 — Complications of cardiac and vascular prosthetic devices, implants and grafts, T83 — Complications of genitourinary prosthetic devices, implants and grafts, T84 — Complications of internal orthopedic prosthetic devices, implants and grafts, T85 — Complications of other internal prosthetic devices, implants and grafts, T86 — Complications of transplanted organs and tissue, T87 — Complications peculiar to reattachment and amputation, T88 — Other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified.

These codes’ tabular lists name this diagnosis as distinct — both may be reported when both are documented.

Referenced by 1 Code Also instruction: G97.84 — Intracranial hypotension following other procedure.

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 60 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):NVS021 — Postprocedural or postoperative nervous system complication (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.

E36.8 — Other intraoperative complications of endocrine system, E89.810 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of an endocrine system organ or structure following an endocrine system procedure, E89.811 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of an endocrine system organ or structure following other procedure, E89.820 — Postprocedural hematoma of an endocrine system organ or structure following an endocrine system procedure, E89.821 — Postprocedural hematoma of an endocrine system organ or structure following other procedure, E89.822 — Postprocedural seroma of an endocrine system organ or structure following an endocrine system procedure, E89.823 — Postprocedural seroma of an endocrine system organ or structure following other procedure, E89.830 — Post bariatric hypoglycemia, E89.838 — Other postprocedural hypoglycemia, E89.89 — Other postprocedural endocrine and metabolic complications and disorders, G97.2 — Intracranial hypotension following ventricular shunting, G97.31 — Intraoperative hemorrhage and hematoma of a nervous system organ or structure complicating a nervous system procedure, G97.32 — Intraoperative hemorrhage and hematoma of a nervous system organ or structure complicating other procedure, G97.81 — Other intraoperative complications of nervous system, G97.82 — Other postprocedural complications and disorders of nervous system, G97.83 — Intracranial hypotension following lumbar cerebrospinal fluid shunting, G97.84 — Intracranial hypotension following other procedure, H59.011 — Keratopathy (bullous aphakic) following cataract surgery, right eye, H59.012 — Keratopathy (bullous aphakic) following cataract surgery, left eye, H59.013 — Keratopathy (bullous aphakic) following cataract surgery, bilateral, +39 more

Same clinical category (CCSR)

AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software groups these diagnoses under the same clinical category (Postprocedural or postoperative nervous system complication).

G97.1 — Other reaction to spinal and lumbar puncture, G97.2 — Intracranial hypotension following ventricular shunting, G97.31 — Intraoperative hemorrhage and hematoma of a nervous system organ or structure complicating a nervous system procedure, G97.32 — Intraoperative hemorrhage and hematoma of a nervous system organ or structure complicating other procedure, G97.41 — Accidental puncture or laceration of dura during a procedure, G97.48 — Accidental puncture and laceration of other nervous system organ or structure during a nervous system procedure, G97.49 — Accidental puncture and laceration of other nervous system organ or structure during other procedure, G97.51 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a nervous system organ or structure following a nervous system procedure, G97.52 — Postprocedural hemorrhage of a nervous system organ or structure following other procedure, G97.61 — Postprocedural hematoma of a nervous system organ or structure following a nervous system procedure, G97.62 — Postprocedural hematoma of a nervous system organ or structure following other procedure, G97.63 — Postprocedural seroma of a nervous system organ or structure following a nervous system procedure, G97.64 — Postprocedural seroma of a nervous system organ or structure following other procedure, G97.81 — Other intraoperative complications of nervous system, G97.82 — Other postprocedural complications and disorders of nervous system, G97.83 — Intracranial hypotension following lumbar cerebrospinal fluid shunting, G97.84 — Intracranial hypotension following other procedure

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.

G96.00 — Cerebrospinal fluid leak, unspecified (cerebrospinal fluid), G96.01 — Cranial cerebrospinal fluid leak, spontaneous (cerebrospinal fluid, cranial, spontaneous), G96.02 — Spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak, spontaneous (cerebrospinal fluid, spinal, spontaneous), G96.08 — Other cranial cerebrospinal fluid leak (cerebrospinal fluid, cranial, traumatic), G96.09 — Other spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak (cerebrospinal fluid, spinal, postoperative), 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), +3 more

Contextual Map

Every relationship of G97.0 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 G97.0 with these 11 related codes in Claim Check

Hierarchy

Code Also

Referenced by Excludes1 notes

Referenced by Excludes2 notes (10)

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

  • Complication (s) (from) (of), lumbar puncture, cerebrospinal fluid leak[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Complication (s) (from) (of), nervous system, postprocedural, spinal fluid leak[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Complication (s) (from) (of), postoperative, lumbar puncture, cerebrospinal fluid leak[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Complication (s) (from) (of), puncture, spinal, cerebrospinal fluid leak[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Complication (s) (from) (of), spinal, puncture or tap, cerebrospinal fluid leak[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027
  • Leak, leakage, cerebrospinal fluid, from spinalpuncture (lumbar)[Index term]— CMS ICD-10-CM Index to Diseases and Injuries · icd10cm-fy2027

Nearest codes (23)

Change history

  • FY2016 — In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption [Change history]— CMS release files (code change ledger) · icd10cm-fy2016

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 structured 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 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.

Labels on this page: Official source data · MedCoder structured relationship · MedCoder explanation. How to read the labels · All data sources and release dates

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. "G97.0 — Cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture." ICD-10-CM FY2027. https://medcoder.ai/icd10/code/g97.0-cerebrospinal-fluid-leak-from-spinal-puncture

Change history

  • FY2016 — October 1, 2015
    In the code set at ICD-10-CM adoption
    Cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture

No changes since FY2016 — additions, deletions, description changes and billable-status changes are tracked through FY2027, and none are recorded for this code. Note changes are tracked from FY2027 only.

Nearest Codes in This Family

Official ICD-10-CM classifications closest to G97.0 in its code family, with their registry titles.

View all codes in the G97 family