Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis, left femur

This code signifies an acute bone infection originating from the bloodstream, specifically affecting the left thigh bone. It indicates a sudden onset inflammatory process within the left femur, caused by pathogens disseminated through the circulatory system.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states acute hematogenous osteomyelitis impacting the left femur. This typically occurs in patients presenting with sudden bone pain, fever, and elevated inflammatory markers, with imaging confirming osteomyelitis in the specified location.

• Ensure documentation specifies "acute" and "hematogenous" as the etiology; otherwise, consider other osteomyelitis codes.
• Verify the laterality is explicitly stated as "left femur."
• Do not confuse with chronic osteomyelitis or osteomyelitis due to direct inoculation or contiguous spread.