Unspecified fracture of unspecified patella, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or residual effect stemming from a prior, unspecified fracture of the patella. It indicates that the initial fracture event is no longer acute, and the patient is experiencing ongoing issues directly attributable to that past injury, without specific details about the fracture type.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states a patient is presenting for treatment of a sequela (e.g., chronic pain, stiffness, limited range of motion, nonunion) directly linked to an old, unspecified patellar fracture. This is appropriate when the original fracture occurred in the past and is no longer actively healing.

• Always sequence the sequela code first, followed by codes for the specific manifestation(s) of the sequela.
• Ensure the medical record explicitly links the current condition to a prior patellar fracture.
• Avoid using this code for acute or subacute fractures; those require codes from the initial encounter or subsequent encounter categories.