M23.00
Cystic meniscus, unspecified meniscus
Not billable — category only FY2026 2025-10-01 → 2026-09-30
This is the unspecified option. 6 more
specific codes sit alongside it. Worth
checking whether the documentation supports one of them.
Exclusions 16 never code together
M23code
Excludes1
Excludes2
- current injury - see injury of knee and lower leg (S80-S89)S80-S89
- recurrent dislocation or subluxation of joints (M24.4)M24.4
- recurrent dislocation or subluxation of patella (M22.0-M22.1)M22.0-M22.1
M00-M99chapter
Excludes2
- arthropathic psoriasis (L40.5-)L40.5-
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)P04-P96
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)A00-B99
- compartment syndrome (traumatic) (T79.A-)T79.A-
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)O00-O9A
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Q00-Q99
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)E00-E88
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)S00-T88
- neoplasms (C00-D49)C00-D49
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)R00-R94
Excludes1 — never code together. The excluded condition and this one are mutually exclusive.
Excludes2 — not included here, but the patient may have both. Code both when documented.
Instructional notes 4
M23.00code
Inclusion terms
- Cystic meniscus, unspecified lateral meniscus
- Cystic meniscus, unspecified medial meniscus
M00-M25block
Includes
- Disorders affecting predominantly peripheral (limb) joints
M00-M99chapter
Notes
- Use an external cause code following the code for the musculoskeletal condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the musculoskeletal condition
Alongside this code 6 same parent — M23.0
M23.01 Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of medial meniscus category M23.02 Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of medial meniscus category M23.03 Cystic meniscus, other medial meniscus category M23.04 Cystic meniscus, anterior horn of lateral meniscus category M23.05 Cystic meniscus, posterior horn of lateral meniscus category M23.06 Cystic meniscus, other lateral meniscus category
Subordinate codes 9
M23.000 Cystic meniscus, unspecified lateral meniscus, right knee M23.001 Cystic meniscus, unspecified lateral meniscus, left knee M23.002 Cystic meniscus, unsp lateral meniscus, unspecified knee M23.003 Cystic meniscus, unspecified medial meniscus, right knee M23.004 Cystic meniscus, unspecified medial meniscus, left knee M23.005 Cystic meniscus, unsp medial meniscus, unspecified knee M23.006 Cystic meniscus, unspecified meniscus, right knee M23.007 Cystic meniscus, unspecified meniscus, left knee M23.009 Cystic meniscus, unspecified meniscus, unspecified knee
Additional references
AHA Coding Clinic® Licence required
Official coding advice for this code. Published by the American Hospital Association. Not included in this installation.