Type III occipital condyle fracture, left side, 7thG

This code signifies a specific type of fracture affecting the left occipital condyle, which is a bony prominence at the base of the skull articulating with the first cervical vertebra. A Type III fracture indicates an avulsion injury where the alar ligament pulls off a fragment of bone. This particular code is used during the healing phase when the fracture is not progressing as expected.

Apply this code for a patient presenting for follow-up care of a previously diagnosed left Type III occipital condyle fracture that is exhibiting delayed healing. Documentation should clearly state the left side involvement, the Type III classification, and explicitly mention "delayed healing" during a subsequent encounter for the fracture.

• Ensure documentation specifies "left side" and "Type III" to differentiate from other occipital condyle fracture types and laterality.
• This code is for a "subsequent encounter" and should not be used for the initial treatment of the fracture.
• Verify that "delayed healing" is explicitly documented; otherwise, a code for routine healing (e.g., S02.11FK) might be more appropriate.