Oth fx lower end of left femur, subs for clos fx w nonunion

This code signifies a fracture located at the distal end of the left femur, excluding condylar or supracondylar types, that has failed to heal properly. The patient is in a subsequent phase of care for this specific fracture, and the skin over the fracture site remains intact. The primary issue at this stage is the nonunion of the bone fragments.

This code is appropriate for follow-up encounters where a patient is being treated for a previously diagnosed, non-healing closed fracture of the lower end of the left femur. This includes situations where the patient is undergoing conservative management, bracing, or preparing for surgical intervention to address the nonunion. It should be used when the nonunion is the primary focus of the current encounter.

• Always confirm the laterality (left femur) and the specific location (lower end) of the fracture.
• Ensure documentation clearly states "nonunion" and that the fracture was initially closed.
• This code is for subsequent encounters; an initial encounter for the same fracture would use a different seventh character.