L70.0 - Acne vulgaris

Clinical Definition

A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee occurs when this key stabilizing ligament tears, typically during sudden stopping, pivoting, or direct impact. This compromises knee stability and often requires surgical intervention.

Documentation Requirements

• Laterality: Must specify right or left knee

• Acuity: Document if:

  • Initial encounter

  • Subsequent encounter

  • Sequela

• Severity: Complete vs. partial tear

• Trauma Details: Mechanism of injury (sports, fall, MVA, etc.)

• Exam Findings: Document:

  • Positive Lachman test

  • Anterior drawer sign

  • Pivot shift test results

• Associated Injuries: Note any:

  • Meniscal tears

  • Other ligament involvement

  • Articular cartilage damage

Common Synonyms

• ACL tear

• Blown ACL

• Knee ligament injury

• Sports knee injury

Coding Conflicts

• Excludes1:

  • Sprain of ACL (S83.51-)

  • Old ACL disruption (M23.61-)

• Excludes2:

  • Multiple ligament injuries (S83.87)

  • PCL tears occurring simultaneously

Scribing.io Automation

The AI scribe automatically detects key documentation elements by:

• Identifying anatomical terms "ACL" and "anterior cruciate ligament"

• Capturing laterality mentions ("right" or "left")

• Recognizing injury mechanism descriptions

• Flagging positive exam findings language

• Correlating imaging report findings

• Distinguishing between initial and follow-up visits

Always include an assessment of associated injuries and neurovascular status to ensure complete documentation.