Disp fx of neck of fourth metacarpal bone, left hand, init

This diagnosis code indicates a break in the neck of the fourth metacarpal bone in the left hand, where the bone fragments are no longer in their normal anatomical alignment. This specific injury is commonly referred to as a "Boxer's fracture" when it affects the fifth metacarpal, but in this case, it's the adjacent fourth metacarpal.

Apply this code when documenting an initial presentation of a patient with a confirmed displaced fracture of the neck of the fourth metacarpal in the left hand. This includes situations where the patient is first seen for evaluation and treatment of the acute injury, prior to definitive treatment or follow-up care.

• Ensure documentation clearly specifies "displaced" and "left hand" for accurate code assignment.
• The "A" in the seventh character signifies an initial encounter for a closed fracture; use subsequent characters for follow-up care or nonunion/malunion.
• Verify the fracture location is precisely the "neck" of the fourth metacarpal, as other metacarpal fractures or locations within the bone have different codes.