Chronic gout, unspecified, without tophus (tophi)

This code signifies a persistent form of gout where the specific anatomical site of the condition is not documented, and there is no evidence of tophi (urate crystal deposits) in the patient. It indicates a long-standing inflammatory arthritis caused by hyperuricemia, without further specification of its location or the presence of characteristic nodular deposits.

Use this code when documentation clearly states "chronic gout" but provides no information regarding the affected joint(s) or the presence/absence of tophi. It is appropriate when the provider explicitly states "chronic gout, unspecified, without tophi" or similar phrasing. This code is a last resort when more specific codes for chronic gout with or without tophi and specified anatomical sites cannot be assigned.

• Avoid using this code if the documentation specifies a particular joint (e.g., foot, hand) affected by chronic gout, even without tophi.
• Do not use this code if tophi are documented; instead, select a code from the M1A.XXX1 series.
• Query the provider for more specific anatomical site information if only "chronic gout" is documented, to allow for a more precise code assignment.