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S83.32XA vs S90

S83.32XA (Tear of articular cartilage of left knee, current, initial encounter) compared with S90 (Superficial injury of ankle, foot and toes), from the official CMS tabular data.

Summary

These codes can be reported together when both conditions are documented, because S83.32XA lists S90 under Excludes2, which marks them as distinct conditions.

Official rule
What is different?

The conditions named and billing status.S83.32XA is “Tear of articular cartilage of left knee, current, initial encounter”; S90 is “Superficial injury of ankle, foot and toes”. S90 is a non-billable header; S83.32XA is billable.

Registry fact

Can these codes be reported together?

Yes, when both are documented.S83.32XA lists S90 under Excludes2: “injuries of ankle and foot, except fracture of ankle and malleolus (S90-S99)”. Excludes2 marks distinct conditions that may both be reported when both are documented.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is there an Excludes1 relationship?

None.Neither entry carries an Excludes1 note that names the other code.

Official rule

Is there an Excludes2 relationship?

Yes.S83.32XA’s tabular entry: “injuries of ankle and foot, except fracture of ankle and malleolus (S90-S99)”. The note covers S90.

Official ruleGuide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2

Is one more specific?

Not comparable.The codes sit in different categories; specificity is only comparable within one category.

Is one a parent or header code?

One is a header.S90 is a non-billable header, but S83.32XA is not one of its subdivisions.

Registry fact

Are there sequencing instructions?

None.Neither entry carries a Code First or Use Additional Code note that names the other.

Official rule

Are there other coding relationships?

None found.No laterality, encounter-phase, Table of Neoplasms, Table of Drugs and Chemicals, or history-versus-active-disease relationship links these codes.

MedCoder-derived

Official rule: a tabular instructional note or a section of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines, quoted as published. Registry fact: the codes’ own published attributes (titles, billable status, position in the hierarchy, code set). MedCoder-derived: a reading MedCoder computes from those facts; it is not itself a rule. How to read the labels

Can these codes be reported together?

Informational

Excludes2 relationship

S83.32XA
Tear of articular cartilage of left knee, current, initial encounter
↔
S90
Superficial injury of ankle, foot and toes

What we found

Yes, when both are documented.S83.32XA carries an Excludes2 note covering S90: “injuries of ankle and foot, except fracture of ankle and malleolus (S90-S99)”

Excludes2 marks distinct conditions — both may be reported when both are documented.

What to review

Report both only when the documentation supports both conditions; otherwise report the one documented.

Guide: Excludes1 vs Excludes2Check these on a claim

Why it matters

An Excludes2 note means the excluded condition is not part of the code above it, but a patient can have both. Report both when both are documented.

Source / rule

CMS ICD-10-CM tabular instructional notes

Official guidance behind these answers

  • Section I.A.12.b — Excludes2 · applies to: Excludes2

    A type 2 Excludes note represents “Not included here.” An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.

    ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines FY2026

Quoted from the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in effect for the release shown. The tabular notes above are the code-level instruction; these sections are the convention that says how such a note is applied. Source document (CMS PDF) · Release and checksum

Side by side

S83.32XATear of articular cartilage of left knee, current, initial encounterS90Superficial injury of ankle, foot and toes
Billing statusBillableNon-billable header

Report instead: S90.00XA, S90.00XD, S90.00XS, S90.01XA, S90.01XD

ClassificationS00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88)S00-T88 — Injury, Poisoning and Certain Other Consequences of External Causes (S00-T88)
DefinitionTear of articular cartilage of left knee, current, initial encounter is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code (S83.32XA).Superficial injury of ankle, foot and toes is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code (S90).
7th characterThe appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S83The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S90
Includes
avulsion of joint or ligament of knee
laceration of cartilage, joint or ligament of knee
sprain of cartilage, joint or ligament of knee
traumatic hemarthrosis of joint or ligament of knee
—
Excludes2
derangement of patella (M22.0-M22.3)
injury of patellar ligament (tendon) (S76.1-)
internal derangement of knee (M23.-)
old dislocation of knee (M24.36)
pathological dislocation of knee (M24.36)
recurrent dislocation of knee (M22.0)
strain of muscle, fascia and tendon of lower leg (S86.-)
burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
frostbite (T33-T34)
injuries of ankle and foot, except fracture of ankle and malleolus (S90-S99)
insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)
burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
fracture of ankle and malleolus (S82.-)
frostbite (T33-T34)
insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)
Code also
any associated open wound
—

Notes are the code’s own tabular entry, quoted as published. A note that names the other code is the one the verdict above rests on.

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Derived from the official CMS ICD-10-CM tabular data (FY2026). A coding-rule comparison, not billing advice: payer-specific edits and medical-necessity policy are outside its scope. All data sources