Other infective bursitis, unspecified knee

This code signifies an inflammatory condition of a bursa in the knee joint, caused by an infection, where the specific type of infection or the exact bursa involved is not documented. It indicates an infectious etiology for knee bursitis without further specification.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states "infective bursitis of the knee" but lacks detail regarding the specific bursa (e.g., prepatellar, infrapatellar) or the causative organism. This code is appropriate when the provider has diagnosed an infection as the cause of the knee bursitis, but further specificity is unavailable.

• Ensure documentation explicitly states "infective" or "septic" bursitis; otherwise, consider non-infective bursitis codes.
• Avoid using this code if the specific bursa (e.g., prepatellar, anserine) is identified; instead, select a more specific M71.16- subcategory.
• Always query the provider for greater specificity regarding the bursa involved and the infectious agent if possible, to allow for more precise coding.