Other secondary osteonecrosis, right femur

This code signifies the death of bone tissue in the right femur due to an underlying medical condition or external factor, rather than a primary, idiopathic cause. This bone death results from a loss of blood supply to the femoral head or other parts of the femur.

Apply this code when documentation specifies osteonecrosis of the right femur that is explicitly attributed to a secondary cause, such as corticosteroid use, trauma, sickle cell disease, or alcoholism. Ensure the physician's notes clearly identify the right femur as the affected site and differentiate it from primary (idiopathic) osteonecrosis.

• Always code the underlying secondary cause first, followed by this code.
• Distinguish carefully between primary (idiopathic) osteonecrosis (M87.0-) and secondary osteonecrosis (M87.3-).
• Verify laterality (right vs. left vs. bilateral) is clearly documented for the femur.