Pathological fracture, left shoulder, init for fx

This code signifies a fracture of the left shoulder that occurred due to a pre-existing disease process, rather than significant trauma. It indicates that the patient is receiving active treatment for this specific fracture.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a pathological fracture of the left shoulder and the patient is in the initial phase of treatment (e.g., surgical repair, casting, or active management in the emergency department). Supporting documentation should identify the underlying disease contributing to the fracture, which would be coded additionally.

• Always sequence the underlying condition causing the pathological fracture before this code.
• Ensure the documentation specifies "left shoulder" and confirms the "initial encounter" for treatment.
• Do not use this code for traumatic fractures; those are coded with S42.2- series codes.