Nondisp longitud fx l patella, 7thR

This code signifies a previously treated, but now malunited, longitudinal fracture of the left patella that was initially an open fracture of type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC. Despite the malunion, the fracture itself is currently nondisplaced. It indicates a complication of healing for a significant patellar injury.

Use this code for patients presenting with evidence of malunion following an open longitudinal fracture of the left patella, specifically when the initial injury was classified as Gustilo-Anderson type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC. This applies when the patient is in a subsequent encounter for the management of this malunion, not for the initial fracture treatment.

• Ensure documentation specifies "malunion" and not "nonunion" for accurate code selection.
• Verify the initial open fracture type (IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC) is clearly documented as this impacts code specificity.
• This code is for subsequent encounters; do not use for initial treatment of the fracture.