Hemophilic arthropathy

This diagnosis code represents joint damage, inflammation, and degeneration resulting from recurrent bleeding into the joints (hemarthrosis) in individuals with hemophilia. It is a chronic and progressive condition that leads to pain, swelling, limited range of motion, and ultimately joint destruction.

Use this code for patients diagnosed with arthropathy directly attributable to hemophilia. Documentation should clearly indicate a history of hemophilia and evidence of joint involvement, such as chronic pain, swelling, or imaging findings consistent with degenerative joint changes in a hemophiliac patient.

• Always code the underlying hemophilia first, followed by this code for the manifestation.
• Specify the affected joint(s) using additional codes if known and documented (e.g., M19.90 for unspecified osteoarthritis if the specific joint is not documented).
• Do not confuse with general osteoarthritis codes (M15-M19) unless clearly documented as non-hemophilic or in addition to the hemophilic arthropathy.