Stress fracture, unsp hand, subs for fx w nonunion

This code signifies a stress fracture affecting an unspecified bone within the hand, indicating that the fracture has not healed properly (nonunion) and the patient is receiving ongoing treatment for this complication. It describes a pathological fracture resulting from repetitive stress rather than acute trauma, with a persistent failure of bone healing.

Apply this code when a patient presents for follow-up care, monitoring, or treatment of a stress fracture in the hand that has failed to unite. Documentation should clearly state "stress fracture," specify "hand" (without further detail on the specific bone), and explicitly mention "nonunion" and that this is a "subsequent encounter" for the fracture.

• Ensure documentation specifies "stress fracture" and not a traumatic fracture, as different codes apply.
• Verify that "nonunion" is clearly documented; if the fracture is healing normally, a different subsequent encounter code would be used.
• Confirm that the encounter is indeed subsequent to the initial treatment; initial encounters for nonunion would use a different 7th character.