1. one of the nine Greek goddesses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, who presided over the arts: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania. 2. (sometimes l.c.) the inspiration that motivates a poet, artist, or thinker.
The process is superimposed by degenerative changes that can cause stenosis and affect the nerve roots and these changes don't go away, even beyond age 75, as you see in this patient. Since the spine is a mobile organ structure, it does not spontaneously fuse until beyond 70 to 80 years of age.
The ICD-9 category used for this condition is dependent upon the site. 722.4 is the correct code for degenerative disease of the cervical intervertebral disc. 722.51 is the correct diagnosis code for thoracic degenerative disc disease. 722.52 is the accurate diagnosis code for DDD of the lumbar or lumbosacral intervertebral disc. Other terms ...