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S83.209A
ICD-10-CM
Meniscus Tear

Find information on meniscus tear diagnosis, including clinical documentation, medical coding, ICD-10 codes, and CPT codes. Learn about meniscus tear symptoms, treatment, and rehabilitation. This resource provides details for healthcare professionals on accurately documenting and coding a meniscus tear diagnosis for insurance claims and medical records. Explore resources related to medial meniscus tear, lateral meniscus tear, meniscus repair surgery, and meniscectomy.

Also known as

Torn Meniscus
Meniscal Tear

Diagnosis Snapshot

Key Facts
  • Definition : A rip or tear in the meniscus, the cartilage cushioning the knee joint.
  • Clinical Signs : Pain, swelling, stiffness, clicking or popping, difficulty straightening the knee, feeling of the knee giving way.
  • Common Settings : Sports injuries, twisting movements, degenerative changes with age, trauma.

Related ICD-10 Code Ranges

Complete code families applicable to AAPC S83.209A Coding
S83.2-

Tear of meniscus, current injury

Covers current tears of the knee meniscus due to injury.

S83.3-

Displaced meniscus, current injury

Describes a displaced meniscus from a current knee injury.

M23.2-

Internal derangement of knee

Includes various internal knee problems, sometimes involving meniscus tears.

S83.9-

Other internal knee injuries

Encompasses other specified internal knee injuries, including some meniscus tears.

Code-Specific Guidance

Decision Tree for

Follow this step-by-step guide to choose the correct ICD-10 code.

Traumatic meniscus tear?

  • Yes

    Which knee?

  • No

    Degenerative tear?

Code Comparison

Related Codes Comparison

When to use each related code

Description
Meniscus tear
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear
Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) tear

Documentation Best Practices

Documentation Checklist
  • Meniscus tear diagnosis: Document laterality (left/right)
  • Meniscus tear: Specify location (medial/lateral/posterior horn)
  • Meniscus tear: Document type (bucket-handle/radial/flap/degenerative)
  • Meniscus tear: Include mechanism of injury (traumatic/degenerative)
  • Meniscus tear documentation: Imaging results (MRI findings)

Coding and Audit Risks

Common Risks
  • Laterality Coding Error

    Missing or incorrect laterality (right, left, bilateral) for meniscus tear diagnosis can lead to claim denials and inaccurate reporting.

  • Specificity of Tear Type

    Lack of documentation specifying the type of meniscus tear (e.g., bucket-handle, flap, radial) can impact coding accuracy and reimbursement.

  • Traumatic vs. Degenerative

    Failing to distinguish between a traumatic and degenerative meniscus tear can lead to incorrect code assignment and affect quality reporting.

Mitigation Tips

Best Practices
  • Accurate ICD-10 coding (S83.-) for meniscus tear location and type.
  • Thorough documentation of mechanism of injury for proper HCC coding.
  • Specific exam details: joint line tenderness, McMurray's test result.
  • Image findings correlation: MRI report details for tear confirmation.
  • Compliance: Document treatment plan linking diagnosis and medical necessity.

Clinical Decision Support

Checklist
  • Hx: Joint line pain, popping, clicking, catching, or locking
  • PE: Joint tenderness, effusion, limited ROM, McMurray's or Thessaly's test
  • Dx: Evaluate for meniscus tear using MRI (ICD-10 M23.2xx)
  • Doc: Document mechanism of injury, exam findings, imaging results
  • Safety: Discuss risks/benefits of conservative vs. surgical treatment

Reimbursement and Quality Metrics

Impact Summary
  • Meniscus Tear: Coding accuracy impacts reimbursement for arthroscopy, meniscectomy, repair procedures.
  • Accurate Meniscus Tear diagnosis coding (ICD-10: S83.2-) improves hospital quality reporting metrics.
  • Proper documentation of Meniscus Tear laterality (left/right) maximizes medical billing reimbursement.
  • Meniscus Tear diagnosis specificity affects payor contracts and value-based care reimbursement models.

Streamline Your Medical Coding

Let S10.AI help you select the most accurate ICD-10 codes for . Our AI-powered assistant ensures compliance and reduces coding errors.

Quick Tips

Practical Coding Tips
  • Code laterality: right, left, bilateral
  • Specify tear type: medial, lateral
  • Document mechanism of injury
  • Include imaging findings: MRI, Xray
  • Consider chronic vs acute

Documentation Templates

Patient presents with complaints consistent with a meniscus tear.  Onset of symptoms, including knee pain, swelling, stiffness, clicking, popping, catching, or locking, began [duration] ago after [mechanism of injury, e.g., twisting injury while playing sports, insidious onset].  Patient reports [specific activity limitations, e.g., difficulty with stairs, squatting, prolonged standing].  Pain is localized to the [medial, lateral, or both] aspect of the knee and is characterized as [sharp, dull, aching, throbbing].  The patient rates the pain as [pain scale rating] out of 10.  Physical examination reveals [positive, negative] McMurray's test, [positive, negative] Apley's grind test, and [positive, negative] Thessaly test.  Joint line tenderness is [present, absent].  Range of motion is limited to [degrees of flexion and extension] with [pain, crepitus, or both] noted.  Effusion is [present, absent].  No signs of ligamentous instability are noted.  Differential diagnosis includes meniscus tear, ligamentous injury, osteoarthritis, patellofemoral pain syndrome.  Preliminary diagnosis is meniscus tear.  Plan includes obtaining knee MRI to confirm diagnosis and assess the extent of the tear.  Conservative management options including rest, ice, compression, elevation, physical therapy, and NSAIDs will be discussed.  Surgical intervention, such as meniscectomy or meniscus repair, may be considered depending on MRI findings and patient response to conservative treatment.  Patient education provided regarding activity modification, pain management, and potential complications.  Follow-up appointment scheduled in [duration] to review MRI results and discuss treatment plan.
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