# Displaced fracture and comminuted fracture



## joanne71178 (Jul 27, 2012)

Is there a difference between these 2 fracture types?  And do you code only the primary fracture code?


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## dclark7 (Jul 30, 2012)

A displaced fracture is one where the bones do not line up, a comminuted fracture is where the bones break into multiple pieces.  ICD 9 does not differentiate between displaced and comminuted, only open or closed.  Not sure what you mean by only coding the primary fracture code, could you be more specific?


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