Disp fx of base of metacarpal bone, subs for fx w nonunion

This code signifies a fracture at the base of a metacarpal bone, excluding the thumb, that has shifted from its normal alignment. The patient is in a subsequent phase of care, and the fracture has failed to heal properly, indicating a nonunion.

Apply this code for follow-up encounters where a patient is being treated for a previously diagnosed displaced fracture of the base of the second, third, fourth, or fifth metacarpal, and imaging or clinical assessment confirms that the bone fragments have not united. This is used when the nonunion is the primary focus of the current visit.

• Ensure documentation clearly specifies "displaced" and "nonunion" for the base of a non-thumb metacarpal.
• This code is for subsequent encounters; do not use for initial fracture treatment.
• Verify the specific metacarpal involved to ensure it's not the thumb (which has a different code series).