Other fracture of lower end of left femur, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or late effect stemming from a fracture of the lower end of the left femur, excluding specific condylar or supracondylar types. It indicates that the initial acute injury has healed, but the patient is now experiencing persistent issues directly attributable to that past fracture.

Apply this code when documenting conditions like chronic pain, malunion, nonunion, post-traumatic arthritis, or significant functional impairment in the left knee or thigh, which are directly linked to a previously sustained fracture of the distal left femur. This is appropriate for follow-up encounters addressing these residual problems, long after the initial fracture treatment.

• Always sequence this code after the code for the specific sequela (e.g., M17.12 for post-traumatic osteoarthritis of the left knee).
• Ensure documentation clearly links the current condition to a past fracture of the lower left femur.
• Do not use this code for initial treatment or active healing phases of a current fracture.