ICD-10 Guide

Mcl Tear

ICD-10 Coding for MCL Tear(S83.432A, M23.361)

PRIMARY SPECIALTYOrthopedics

COMPLEXITYHigh

LAST UPDATED09/15/2025

Sam Tuffun, PT, DPT

Physical Therapist | Medical Coding & Billing Contributor

Diagnosis Overview

What is Mcl Tear?

Essential facts and insights about MCL Tear

Key Clinical Considerations:

Knee pain and swelling
Instability of the knee joint
Locking or catching sensation in the knee

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Patient history of trauma or sports injury
Detailed description of symptoms and physical exam findings
Imaging results (MRI or X-ray) indicating MCL tear

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Ensure accurate laterality is documented to avoid claim denials.
Common errors include using incorrect codes for partial tears.

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Fractures of the knee joint
Tear of other ligaments (e.g., ACL, PCL)

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Orthopedics

Specialty Applications

Athletes, individuals with knee injuries
Orthopedic clinics, sports medicine facilities

Coding Complexity

High Complexity

This diagnosis requires careful attention to:

Comprehensive clinical documentation
Accurate code selection based on clinical criteria
Proper exclusion considerations
Specialty-specific coding guidelines

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Ensure proper documentation for billing
Verify code specificity requirements
Check for any additional codes needed
Review payer-specific guidelines

Common Issues

Insufficient clinical documentation
Incorrect code selection
Missing supporting diagnoses
Timing and frequency documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Include mechanism of injury, symptoms, and imaging results.

Billing considerations?

Ensure correct ICD-10 code is used based on laterality and encounter type.

Mcl Tear

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?

Mcl Tear

Diagnosis Overview

Key Clinical Considerations:

Clinical Information

Clinical Criteria & Documentation Requirements

Coding Guidelines

Usage Guidelines & Examples

Code Exclusions

Important Exclusions

Related ICD-10 Codes

Related CPT Codes

Specialty Focus

Primary Specialty

Specialty Applications

Coding Complexity

Documentation

Documentation Templates

Billing Information

Billing Considerations

Common Issues

Frequently Asked Questions

Documentation requirements?

Billing considerations?