Dislocating Patella & Chondromalacia

[goin2pa]

While on active duty I was diagnosed with a "Dislocating Patella & Chondromalacia" in my left knee from a "broken" knee-cap. I had surgery to remove the "loose body" that was wrecking my knee (part of the cartilage from the underside of my knee-cap, re-alignment of ligaments and to clean the Mincius within my knee. In my medical record it plainly states that while completing this procedure part of my knee cartilage was removed. Although the knee is often VERY sore, and swells up – but it is considerably better than prior to surgery!

My question is - would this type of procedure normally warrant a rating under # 5259 "Cartilage, Semilunar, removal of, Symptomatic . . . . 10%" . To me, strictly with only a layman's understanding of the ratings and diagnostic codes; it sounds right – but was hoping to find out from someone who knows. The C & P doctor diagnossed it as "Degenerative Joint Desease"

Thanks in advance - Jim

[Pete53]

Welcome to Hadit

[john999]

Get a real doctor to write a report for you. Was you C&P doctor even an orthopedist? See, the VA will use an eye doctor with an MD to write reports for bad knees if they work cheap. You can't diagnose yourself because the VA is just going to ignore this. You need real medical evidence to support anything you are claiming.

[goin2pa]

Thanks - I heard about this forum through a good friend. I'm already finding out that there is much to learn . . . .

Jim

Welcome to Hadit

[goin2pa]

So - even though the surgery took place while I was active duty, and the procedure is well documented and included in my medical record I’ll still need another doctor to re-diagnose my knee problem? The surgery and original diagnosis was done by a respected Orthopedic Surgeon. The cartilage under the knee-cap got broken in half while on the job, and the broken part was floating around inside the knee-joint for about 22 months tearing it up from the inside out. It would give-out, lock-up and sometimes swell to the size of a football. Although it was cleaned up, the joint will never really be "normal" as part of my cartilage was removed causing the knee-cap to wear unusually.

All in all I consider myself lucky, but what caught my attention was that the C & P doctor wrote it up as "Degenerative Joint Disease" rather than a damaged knee that was repaired.

Thanks for the reply - Jim

Get a real doctor to write a report for you. Was you C&P doctor even an orthopedist? See, the VA will use an eye doctor with an MD to write reports for bad knees if they work cheap. You can't diagnose yourself because the VA is just going to ignore this. You need real medical evidence to support anything you are claiming.

[USNDW]

The C&P examiners write reports based on what they know. My knees are pretty bad, well, really bad. The orthopedic surgeons mostly wrote, TKR due to advanced DJD. Degenerative Joint Disease is a facy name for jacked up knee. The wearing or breaking away of cartilage and the meniscus is considered a degenerative process and that is they call it that.

If the C&P examiner stated DJD, and the medical reports state part of the meniscus was removed, then yes you should get at least a 10% rating. If you have the occasional swelling and locking up, have your current doctor annotate that in their records and after your claim is complete you can file a NOD, or later an increase in rating for worsening of the condition.

Have you already received a VA award or are you waiting on one??

The fact the VA uses any examiner is pretty much true, I had an NP do a knee exam only about 3 weeks after I had the medial meniscus completely removed and a microfracture technique done and she started cranking on my knee and twisting it, man I had to yell at her, which I do fairly loudly, and she finally stopped, looked like she was going to cry. Obviously my C&P exam notes were not done very well.

[cooter]

I basicly had the same done as you, I was awarded 10% for degenerative joint disease, partial medial meniscectomy. Didn't do much good cause I ended up with TKR. So if the C&P examiner dx you with DJD, you should get at least 10% out of it.