Nondisplaced spiral fracture of shaft of left femur, sequela

This diagnosis code indicates a past injury involving a spiral fracture of the shaft of the left femur that was not displaced at the time of the fracture. The "sequela" designation signifies that the patient is currently experiencing a residual condition or complication directly resulting from this old fracture, even if the fracture itself has healed.

Apply this code when documenting a patient presenting with long-term issues, such as chronic pain, nonunion, malunion, or functional limitations, that are directly attributable to a previously sustained and healed (or healing) nondisplaced spiral fracture of the left femoral shaft. This code is appropriate for follow-up encounters addressing these persistent effects, not for the initial acute injury.

• Always ensure documentation clearly links the current condition to the old fracture.
• Do not use this code for the initial acute fracture; a different code from the S72.345 category would be used for the active injury.
• Consider additional codes to specify the nature of the sequela (e.g., chronic pain, malunion, nonunion).