Pathological fracture, right fibula, subs for fx w nonunion

This code signifies a fracture of the right fibula that occurred due to an underlying disease process, rather than trauma. It indicates that the patient is receiving active treatment for this pathological fracture, and the fracture has failed to heal properly, resulting in a nonunion.

Apply this code when documentation specifies a pathological fracture of the right fibula with ongoing treatment for a nonunion. This is appropriate for follow-up visits, cast changes, or surgical interventions addressing the nonunion of the pathological fracture. Supporting documentation includes physician notes detailing the pathological nature of the fracture, the right fibula as the affected site, and the presence of nonunion during a subsequent encounter.

• Always sequence this code after the underlying disease causing the pathological fracture (e.g., osteoporosis, neoplasm).
• Ensure documentation clearly distinguishes between a pathological fracture and a traumatic fracture.
• Verify the encounter type (initial, subsequent, sequela) and the healing status (routine, delayed, nonunion, malunion) to select the correct 7th character.