Path fx in oth disease, r ankle, subs for fx w malunion

This code signifies a pathological fracture of the right ankle that has healed incorrectly (malunion) due to an underlying disease process, and the patient is currently receiving follow-up care for this specific fracture. A pathological fracture occurs in bone weakened by disease, not from trauma that would break a healthy bone.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates a right ankle fracture resulting from a systemic disease (e.g., osteoporosis, metastatic cancer, Paget's disease), the fracture has healed in a misaligned or deformed position, and the patient is seen for ongoing management of this malunion. The encounter must be subsequent to the initial treatment of the fracture.

• Ensure documentation specifies "pathological fracture" and identifies the underlying disease causing the bone weakness.
• Confirm the laterality is "right ankle" and the healing status is "malunion" for a subsequent encounter.
• Always sequence the underlying disease code first, followed by this code for the pathological fracture with malunion.