Unsp fracture of the lower end of unsp radius, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or late effect stemming from an unspecified fracture of the lower portion of the radius, where the specific type of fracture is not documented. It indicates that the initial injury has healed, but the patient is now experiencing residual problems directly attributable to that past fracture.

Use this code when documenting a patient presenting with a sequela (e.g., chronic pain, malunion, nonunion, limited range of motion, deformity) of a previous, unspecified distal radius fracture. This code is appropriate when the initial fracture has already been treated and is no longer in the active healing phase, and the current encounter addresses the lasting consequences.

• This "S" seventh character indicates a sequela, meaning the initial injury has healed and the patient is experiencing a late effect.
• Avoid using this code for acute or active fracture treatment; instead, use the appropriate initial or subsequent encounter codes for the fracture itself.
• Always attempt to find a more specific code if the type of distal radius fracture (e.g., Colles', Smith's, Barton's) is known, even if the laterality is unspecified.