Path fx in oth disease, l femur, subs for fx w nonunion

This code signifies a fracture of the left femur that occurred due to an underlying disease process, rather than trauma. The fracture has not healed properly (nonunion), and the patient is receiving ongoing treatment for this complication. This is a follow-up encounter for the management of the nonunion.

Apply this code when documentation confirms a pathological fracture of the left femur, meaning the bone was weakened by a disease (e.g., osteoporosis, metastatic cancer) leading to the fracture. The "K" seventh character indicates a subsequent encounter for a fracture with documented nonunion. Supporting documentation would include physician notes detailing the underlying disease, the pathological nature of the fracture, and ongoing treatment for the nonunion.

• Ensure the documentation clearly specifies "pathological fracture" and identifies the underlying disease causing the bone fragility.
• Verify the laterality (left femur) and the encounter type (subsequent encounter for nonunion).
• Always sequence the underlying disease code first, followed by this pathological fracture code.