M23.20
Derangement of unspecified meniscus due to old tear or injury
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 5
M23.2code
Inclusion terms
- Old bucket-handle tear
M23.20code
Inclusion terms
- Derangement of unspecified lateral meniscus due to old tear or injury
- Derangement of unspecified medial meniscus due to old tear or injury
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
Index entries leading here 1
Alongside this code 6 same parent — M23.2
M23.21 Derang of ant horn of medial meniscus due to old tear/inj category M23.22 Derang of post horn of medial meniscus due to old tear/inj category M23.23 Derangement of oth medial meniscus due to old tear or injury category M23.24 Derang of anterior horn of lat mensc due to old tear/inj category M23.25 Derang of posterior horn of lat mensc due to old tear/inj category M23.26 Derangement of lateral meniscus due to old tear or injury category
Subordinate codes 9
M23.200 Derang of unsp lat mensc due to old tear/inj, right knee M23.201 Derangement of unsp lat mensc due to old tear/inj, left knee M23.202 Derangement of unsp lat mensc due to old tear/inj, unsp knee M23.203 Derang of unsp medial meniscus due to old tear/inj, r knee M23.204 Derang of unsp medial meniscus due to old tear/inj, l knee M23.205 Derang of unsp medial mensc due to old tear/inj, unsp knee M23.206 Derangement of unsp meniscus due to old tear/inj, right knee M23.207 Derangement of unsp meniscus due to old tear/inj, left knee M23.209 Derangement of unsp meniscus due to old tear/inj, unsp 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.