Displ spiral fx shaft of unsp femr, 7thM

This code describes a specific type of femoral shaft fracture where the bone is broken in a spiral pattern and the fragments are no longer aligned. It indicates that the fracture is an open injury (Type I or II), meaning there's a wound connecting the fracture site to the outside, and that the bone has failed to heal properly despite previous treatment.

Use this code for follow-up encounters when a patient with a previously treated open spiral fracture of the femoral shaft (Type I or II) is experiencing nonunion. This applies when the physician is managing the ongoing care for the unhealed fracture, such as during evaluation for further surgical intervention or conservative management of the nonunion.

• Ensure documentation clearly specifies a spiral fracture of the femoral shaft, not another type of fracture.
• Verify the fracture was initially an open fracture (Type I or II) and that nonunion is explicitly documented.
• Confirm this is a subsequent encounter for the nonunion, not the initial treatment of the fracture.