Wiki Tears - Traumatic or Degenrative

[Sathishj]

Hi Everyone, I need a clarification on DX to code for tears involving in joints.

How to code DX for tears when document provides mising info about Traumatic or degenerative?
When we go by index, it leads to Traumatic as first, so should we go with the traumatic codes? or we should also check the patient age with comorbids inculding degenrative diseases (OA, Bursitis, Chondramalacia etc.) to code for degenerative tears if not mentioned as trauma?

Please provide any approved guidelines if possible. Thank you...

 

[Orthocoderpgu]

You need to look for trauma or injury

You have to look at the patient's history. If there is an accident, trauma or similar use the traumatic codes. If there is no injury or trauma, use the degenerative codes.

Normaly your not going to find degenerative codes until the patient is in their 40's or so, but you really can't decide by the patient's age.

 

[Sathishj]

Thank you @Orthocoderpgu

 

[MI_CODER]

I agree with orthocoderpgu.

I'd also like to add that (per the 2019 COSC study guide) acute or traumatic implies a sudden injury. Degenerative means breakdown due to age or another condition. A nontraumatic injury would result from constant repetition of motion, with the specific area being torn over time as a chronic or degenerative condition. For example, an injury to the rotator cuff may be either acute or chronic. An acute rotator cuff tear, might occur suddenly while playing volleyball, whereas a chronic rotator cuff might be related to a repetitive motion, or a tearing of the rotator cuff over time.