# Chronic rib fractures



## Kimberley (Jun 15, 2009)

What is the correct dx code for CHRONIC rib fractures?

Thanks

Kimberley Tober, CPC
Franklin, TN


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## KimberlyLanier (Jun 15, 2009)

*Chronic Rib Fracture*

There is no code for Chronic Rib Fracture, under Fracture rib it states the number of ribs fractured and if open or closed.  So you Code the Number of Ribs and if it is an open or closed Fracture.

Kimberly CPC


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## Kimberley (Jun 15, 2009)

Even if it's not a current injury?


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## KimberlyLanier (Jun 15, 2009)

*Fractured Rib*

Well if it is not a current injury, are the Ribs still Fractured?  If so yes you would just code the Fracture of Rib or Ribs, open or Closed.

Kimberly CPC


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## Anna Weaver (Jun 16, 2009)

*chronic rib fractures*

Since there are chronic fractures, have they looked for a cause? Osteo? abuse? There are a lot of different ways to go here. What's the treatment? Are they treating for a current fracture? Are they just mentioning in passing that the patient has chronic fractures? You can code lots of different ways. Traumatic, pathologic, healed, healing, nonunion, etc. There are codes for history of, but you need to know how it was fractured in the first place; patholigic, traumatic, or stress. There has to be more information before you can select the correct code. Sorry, can't be more help.


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## mitchellde (Jun 16, 2009)

I am with Anna on this one.  There must be more to this story and the chronic rib fx are possible a cause and effect issue which would dramatically change the coding.  I am not so quick to apply an acute fx code tot his without more to the story.


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