AHA Coding Clinic® for ICD-9 - 1996 Second Quarter
Cartilage Transposition
This patient had a history of right knee injury playing basketball. A recent arthroscopy showed a completely torn anterior cruciate ligament. Loose fragment of articular cartilage and a full thickness chondral defect in the medial femoral condyle was identified. The patient underwent a cartilage transplantation, which is a two-stage procedure. Harvesting of cartilage is performed in the first stage, and transplantation of cells is performed in the second stage. What is the appropriate ICD-9-CM code for cartilage transplantation? ...
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Article Overview
This article explains a staged cartilage transplantation technique used for knee articular cartilage repair, including the general surgical workflow, tissue harvesting, laboratory cell preparation, implantation, and postoperative rehabilitation. It is written for medical coders and coding professionals who need to understand the procedure context and the related ICD-9-CM coding discussion.
Why This Topic Matters
Understanding how this staged knee cartilage repair is performed helps coders interpret operative documentation and match the procedure to the correct ICD-9-CM coding framework referenced by the article.
Article Sections
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Overview of cartilage transposition
Introduces the procedure and its intended use for knee cartilage repair. Summarizes the two-stage nature of the process.
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First stage: arthroscopy and cartilage harvest
Describes the initial operative phase, including joint evaluation, defect measurement, and tissue harvesting for later laboratory processing.
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Cell culture and preparation
Covers the handling and preparation of harvested cells before the second operative stage.
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Second stage: implantation and closure
Describes the return procedure for graft placement, fixation, and closure of the repair site.
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Postoperative rehabilitation
Summarizes the recovery process, including motion therapy, physical therapy, and weight-bearing limitations.
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Two staged cartilage transplantation
Presents a clinical example involving a knee injury and cartilage defect, followed by a coding question related to the staged procedure.
What You Will Learn
- The general surgical stages involved in knee cartilage transplantation
- How harvested cartilage is processed and returned for implantation
- The typical postoperative rehabilitation approach described for this procedure
- How the article frames the related ICD-9-CM coding discussion
Who Should Read This
- Medical coders
- Coding auditors
- Health information management professionals
- Orthopedic surgery coding staff
Codes Discussed
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