Sltr-haris Type II physl fx lower end radius, unsp arm, init

This code signifies a specific type of growth plate fracture (Salter-Harris Type II) affecting the lower part of the radius bone in a child or adolescent. This fracture extends through the physis (growth plate) and into the metaphysis (the wider part of the bone adjacent to the growth plate), but does not involve the epiphysis (the end of the bone). The injury is to an unspecified arm and is being treated for the first time as a closed fracture (skin intact).

This code is appropriate for initial encounters when a pediatric patient presents with a Salter-Harris Type II fracture of the distal radius, and the specific arm (left or right) is not documented or is unknown. It applies when the fracture is closed, meaning there is no open wound communicating with the fracture site. This code would be used for the initial diagnosis and treatment planning for such an injury.

• Ensure documentation clearly specifies "Salter-Harris Type II" and "distal radius."
• Only use the "unspecified arm" code when laterality is genuinely unknown or not documented.
• Confirm the encounter is "initial" and the fracture is "closed" before applying this code.