Tear of articular cartilage of right knee, current, sequela

This code signifies a chronic or residual condition resulting from a previous tear of the articular cartilage in the right knee. It indicates that the initial injury has healed, but the patient continues to experience symptoms or complications directly attributable to that past tear. This is not for an acute or initial injury.

Use this code when documenting a patient presenting with ongoing pain, stiffness, or functional limitations in the right knee due to a previously sustained articular cartilage tear. This applies when the original injury is no longer acute and the current encounter addresses the long-term effects. It is appropriate for follow-up visits addressing chronic sequelae.

• Always use in conjunction with a code describing the specific sequela (e.g., chronic pain, osteoarthritis).
• Ensure documentation clearly states the tear is "old," "chronic," or "due to a previous injury" to support the sequela designation.
• Do not use for initial or acute articular cartilage tears; those require codes from the S83.31X_A or S83.31X_D categories.