Guidance
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued full guidance to the NHS in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Joint distraction for knee osteoarthritis without alignment correction, in July 2015.
Description
Osteoarthritis of the knee is the result of progressive deterioration of the articular cartilage and menisci of the joint. Articular cartilage deteriorates because of injury, or wear and tear. This leads to exposure of the bone surface. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling and difficulty walking.
Treatment for knee osteoarthritis depends on the severity of the disease. Conservative treatments include analgesics and corticosteroid injections to relieve pain and inflammation, and physiotherapy and prescribed exercise to improve function and mobility. When symptoms are severe, surgery may be indicated. Options include upper tibial osteotomy, microfracture surgery, and unicompartmental or total knee replacement.
Coding recommendations
The OPCS-4 codes for Joint distraction for knee osteoarthritis without alignment correction are:
W30.1 Application of external fixation to bone NEC
Z76.- Femur
Z77.- Tibia
In addition the ICD-10 code M17.9 Gonarthrosis, unspecified would be recorded.
M17.9 Gonarthrosis, unspecified