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Question: A patient presented with pain in the right thumb following a fall while skiing. The radiologist captured three X-ray views of the patient鈥檚 thumb, which were negative for fractures. The physician diagnosed the patient with a sprained 鈥淢CP joint.鈥�

What diagnosis code should I assign?

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Answer: You鈥檒l assign S63.642A (Sprain of metacarpophalangeal joint of left thumb, initial encounter) to report the physician鈥檚 diagnosis. The metacarpophalangeal joint is commonly abbreviated as 鈥淢CP鈥� in documentation.

This injury is also known as skier鈥檚 thumb or gamekeeper鈥檚 thumb, and it happens when the tissues supporting the joint where the metacarpal and proximal phalanx meet at the base of the thumb tear or stretch. Patients suffering from the sprain can experience a limited range of motion, stiffness, pain, inflammation, and other symptoms.

Mike Shaughnessy, BA, CPC, Development Editor, AAPC