Orthopedic Coding Alert

Question: For ICD-10-CM coding purposes, what is the difference between unclassified pathological and recurrent wrist dislocations? Would you code these injuries with the same diagnosis codes?

New Jersey Subscriber

Answer: The injuries are different, as are the ICD-10-CM codes you’d select. Check out this rundown:

Pathological dislocation: Pathological dislocation occurs when the wrist bones are out of their normal position as a consequence of disease. For an unclassified pathological dislocation, you’d choose from the following codes, depending on encounter specifics:

• M24.331 — Pathological dislocation of right wrist, not elsewhere classified
• M24.332 — Pathological dislocation of left wrist, not elsewhere classified
• M24.339 — Pathological dislocation of unspecified wrist, not elsewhere classified.

Recurrent dislocation: On the other hand, recurrent dislocations are repeated displacement of the bones from normal alignment because of a traumatic or nontraumatic events — previous injury, repetitive motion, joint looseness, etc. For an unclassified recurrent dislocation, you’d choose from the following codes, depending on encounter specifics:

• M24.431 — Recurrent dislocation, right wrist
• M24.432 — Recurrent dislocation, left wrist
• M24.439 — Recurrent dislocation, unspecified wrist.

Do this: Go back and check your encounter notes; if there is any detail that could lead you to make the correct ICD-10-CM decision, it’ll be there. If you cannot be absolutely sure that you got the correct diagnosis, check with the provider before filing the claim.