Fracture of body of sternum, sequela

This code indicates a long-term complication or late effect resulting from a previous fracture of the main part of the sternum. It is used when the initial injury has healed, but the patient continues to experience issues directly attributable to that past sternal body fracture.

Apply this code when documenting conditions such as chronic pain, nonunion, malunion, or deformity of the sternal body that are a direct consequence of a prior fracture. This is appropriate for follow-up encounters occurring after the initial healing period of the acute fracture.

• Always use this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the specific sequela (e.g., chronic pain).
• Ensure documentation clearly links the current condition to the past sternal body fracture.
• The "S" in the 7th character indicates sequela, meaning it's for late effects, not the initial injury or subsequent routine healing.