Displ spiral fx shaft of l femr, 7thJ

Displaced spiral fracture of shaft of left femur, subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with delayed healing

📋Clinical Description

This code describes a left femur fracture, specifically a spiral break in the shaft, where the bone fragments are no longer aligned. It indicates that this is not the initial treatment encounter, and the fracture is open (meaning the bone broke through the skin) and classified as a severe Type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC, with the added complication of delayed healing.

🎯When to Use

Use this code for follow-up encounters when a patient is receiving ongoing treatment for a displaced spiral fracture of the left femoral shaft that was initially an open fracture (Type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC) and is now experiencing a slower-than-expected healing process. This applies to situations like continued wound care, monitoring for nonunion, or planning for revision surgery due to delayed healing.

💡Coding Tips

Ensure documentation clearly specifies "displaced" and "spiral fracture of shaft" of the left femur.
Verify the original open fracture type (IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC) is documented and that the current encounter is for delayed healing.
Confirm this is a subsequent encounter, not the initial treatment for the acute fracture.

AI-generated reference — verify against official guidelines

Code Hierarchy

▲S72.342Displaced spiral fracture of shaft of left femur

S72.342J(current)

Crosswalks

V54.15ApproxICD-9

Same Category

S72Fracture of femur S72.0Fracture of head and neck of femur S72.00Fracture of unspecified part of neck of femur S72.001Fracture of unspecified part of neck of right femur S72.001AFracture of unsp part of neck of right femur, init