Displaced comminuted fracture of left patella, sequela

This code signifies a past injury involving a comminuted fracture of the left kneecap where the bone fragments were out of alignment. The "sequela" designation indicates that this code is used to report a condition or complication that is a residual effect of that previous fracture, rather than the acute injury itself.

Use this code when documenting a patient presenting with long-term complications or residual effects directly attributable to a previously sustained displaced comminuted fracture of the left patella. Examples include chronic pain, stiffness, limited range of motion, or degenerative changes in the knee joint resulting from the old injury.

• Always sequence this sequela code after the code(s) for the specific residual condition(s) being treated.
• Ensure documentation clearly links the current condition to the prior displaced comminuted left patella fracture.
• Do not use this code for the initial or subsequent encounter for the acute fracture itself; use the appropriate active fracture code for those scenarios.