Unsp fx l patella, subs for opn fx type 3A/B/C w delay heal

Unspecified fracture of left patella, subsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with delayed healing

📋Clinical Description

This code signifies an unspecified fracture of the left kneecap that is currently undergoing treatment for delayed healing. The initial injury was an open fracture, classified as type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC, indicating significant soft tissue damage and contamination.

🎯When to Use

Apply this code when a patient presents for follow-up care of a left patellar fracture that was initially an open fracture (IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC) and is not healing as expected. This includes encounters for wound care, hardware adjustments, or assessment of nonunion/malunion in the context of delayed healing.

💡Coding Tips

Ensure documentation clearly specifies "delayed healing" for the open fracture type.
Confirm the fracture is of the left patella and the open fracture type (IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC) is documented from the initial injury.
This code is for subsequent encounters; an initial encounter would use a different code.

AI-generated reference — verify against official guidelines

Code Hierarchy

▲S82.002Unspecified fracture of left patella

S82.002J(current)

Crosswalks

V54.16ApproxICD-9

Same Category

S82Fracture of lower leg, including ankle S82.0Fracture of patella S82.00Unspecified fracture of patella S82.001Unspecified fracture of right patella S82.001AUnsp fracture of right patella, init for clos fx