Tear of articular cartilage of unsp knee, current, subs

This code signifies a tear of the articular cartilage within an unspecified knee joint, indicating that the specific location of the tear (e.g., medial, lateral, patellar) is not documented. It is used for encounters following the initial treatment of the injury, where the patient is receiving routine care during the healing or recovery phase.

Apply this code when a patient presents for follow-up care, such as physical therapy, cast changes, or medication refills, for a recently diagnosed articular cartilage tear of an unspecified knee. This is appropriate when the initial treatment has already been rendered and the patient is no longer in the acute phase of injury.

• Ensure the documentation clearly states "unspecified knee" and "subsequent encounter."
• Do not use for initial encounters or for sequelae of the injury.
• If the specific location of the tear is documented, select a more specific code from the S83.3 series.