Stress fracture, left femur, initial encounter for fracture

This diagnosis code signifies a stress fracture affecting the left thigh bone. A stress fracture is a tiny crack in a bone caused by repetitive stress or overuse, rather than a single traumatic event. This specific code indicates that the patient is receiving initial active treatment for this particular fracture.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a stress fracture of the left femur and the patient is in the acute phase of treatment, such as initial evaluation, casting, or surgical repair. Supporting documentation would include imaging reports (e.g., X-ray, MRI) confirming the stress fracture and physician notes detailing the initial management plan.

• Ensure laterality (left) is explicitly documented for the femur.
• Verify the encounter type is "initial" for the fracture; subsequent encounters will require different seventh characters.
• Distinguish from pathological fractures (M84.4-) or other types of femur fractures (S72.-).