38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.71a

Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic — VA Diagnostic Code 5259

Musculoskeletal

Diagnostic code

5259

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38 CFR § 4.71a lists Diagnostic Code 5259 under The Knee and Leg. The line is “Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic,” and the rating is 10. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Cartilage, semilunar, removal” at 5259. The rating row adds “of, symptomatic.”

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.71a source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 34 FR 5062, Mar. 11, 1969; 40 FR 42536, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11294, Mar. 18, 1976; 43 FR 45350, Oct. 2, 1978; 51 FR 6411, Feb. 24, 1986; 61 FR 20439, May 7, 1996; 67 FR 48785, July 26, 2002; 67 FR 54349, Aug. 22, 2002; 68 FR 51456, Aug. 27, 2003; 69 FR 32450, June 10, 2004; 80 FR 42041, July 16, 2015; 85 FR 76460, Nov. 30, 2020, 85 FR 85523, Dec. 29, 2020, 86 FR 8142, Feb. 4, 2021. The source note uses a comma, not a semicolon, before 85 FR 85523 and before 86 FR 8142.

The rating criteria at each level

5259 Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
10	Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic

The row is one line. The 2026-10-01 text does not print a note under DC 5259 defining “symptomatic.”

DC 5258, the preceding code, is “Cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of “locking,” pain, and effusion into the joint,” 20 percent. That line is not the DC 5259 line.

The code prints no 0 percent line. 38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met. 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.

38 CFR § 4.14 says the evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to be avoided, and that the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses is to be avoided. DC 5260 is limitation of flexion of the leg. DC 5261 is limitation of extension of the leg. DC 5257 is other impairment of the knee. The DC 5259 row does not say to combine those codes, and it does not say they replace this line.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5259, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Removal, symptomatic, 10

Those are the words on the DC 5259 row. DC 5258 is dislocation, and it requires frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint. That code is 20. The titles are different.

The knee guide already quotes this line

The knee guide is the public page for knee ankylosis, DC 5256. The DC 5257 guide quotes the DC 5259 line as “Cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic,” 10 percent.

No definition of symptomatic on this row

The schedule prints the word symptomatic on the DC 5259 line. It does not add a note under that code listing which findings meet the word. DC 5258 names locking, pain, and effusion. Those words are on DC 5258.

Evidence that speaks to each level

What the rater needs to see. Removal of semilunar cartilage, and that the removal is symptomatic, which is the whole DC 5259 line.

Where that usually lives. The operative record of the removal, and the current findings the examination ties to that knee.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
10	Removal of semilunar cartilage, and that the removal is symptomatic, which is the whole DC 5259 line.	The operative record of the removal, and the current findings the examination ties to that knee.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Knee and Lower Leg” under Musculoskeletal. The file is Knee and Lower Leg. The site guide for that form is the knee DBQ guide.

The exam form

DC 5259 prints one line at 10 percent. This page does not say the form replaces that line.

Related codes and how they interact

The next codes are limitation of motion.

DC 5260 rates flexion limited to 15, 30, 45, or 60 degrees. DC 5261 rates extension limited to 45, 30, 20, 15, 10, or 5 degrees. Those degrees are not printed on DC 5259.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “semilunar” or “5259.”

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

What is the VA rating for removal of semilunar cartilage?

Diagnostic Code 5259 in 38 CFR § 4.71a is 10 percent for cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Is DC 5259 a chronic disease under § 3.309(a)?

The 2026-10-01 text of § 3.309 does not contain “semilunar” or “5259.”

FAQ

What percentage does DC 5259 print?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, cartilage, semilunar, removal of, symptomatic, is 10 percent. The row does not print another percentage. Education only.

Is removal the same line as a dislocated meniscus?

DC 5258 is cartilage, semilunar, dislocated, with frequent episodes of locking, pain, and effusion into the joint, at 20 percent. DC 5259 is removal of, symptomatic, at 10 percent.

Does the schedule define symptomatic under DC 5259?

The 2026-10-01 row prints the word and does not add a note defining it. Locking, pain, and effusion are the words on DC 5258.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 5259 and whether the removal is the finding that line uses.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other knee codes are on the musculoskeletal diagnostic-code index. The category page is musculoskeletal conditions. The knee page is the knee guide.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Musculoskeletal, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Musculoskeletal codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 5259 • va.gov

⚠️ Important Disclaimer

This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.