Old bucket handle tear of medial meniscus

This code signifies a chronic or pre-existing "bucket handle" tear affecting the medial meniscus of the knee. A bucket handle tear is a specific type of meniscal tear where a longitudinal tear displaces a portion of the meniscus, resembling a bucket handle. "Old" indicates that the injury is not acute.

Use this code when documentation clearly specifies a chronic or old bucket handle tear of the medial meniscus. This typically applies to patients presenting with persistent knee pain, locking, or instability due to a previously sustained and uncorrected meniscal injury. Supporting documentation would include operative reports detailing an old tear, MRI findings confirming chronicity, or physician notes explicitly stating "old" or "chronic" bucket handle tear.

• Ensure the documentation specifies "old" or "chronic" to differentiate from acute tears.
• Verify the specific meniscus involved (medial vs. lateral); this code is only for the medial meniscus.
• Consider additional codes for associated conditions like osteoarthritis or other knee derangements if documented.