Pathological fracture, left femur, init encntr for fracture

This code signifies a fracture of the left femur that occurred due to an underlying disease process, rather than significant trauma. This type of fracture often results from weakened bone structure, such as from osteoporosis, metastatic cancer, or other bone pathologies. The "A" indicates that this is the initial encounter for the fracture, meaning the patient is receiving active treatment.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a pathological fracture of the left femur. This is appropriate for the initial treatment phase, including surgical repair, cast application, or other definitive care. Supporting documentation would include physician notes detailing the fracture etiology (e.g., "pathological fracture secondary to osteosarcoma") and the left femur as the affected site.

• Always confirm the laterality (left vs. right) and the specific bone (femur) from the documentation.
• Ensure the "initial encounter" character is appropriate; subsequent care would use a different seventh character.
• Code the underlying disease causing the pathological fracture first, followed by this fracture code.