Orthopedic Coding Alert
Remember X Factor for These 7 Character Dx Codes
Question: Encounter notes indicate that a patient suffered from periprosthetic fracture near an internal prosthetic left ankle joint. I reported M97.22 and the code was rejected. Did I choose the wrong ICD-10 code for this condition?
Utah Subscriber
Answer: You were on the right path — but your diagnosis code as it stands is incomplete. The entry for M97.22 (Periprosthetic fracture around internal prosthetic left ankle joint) includes a 7th character symbol. That means that for this diagnosis, you need to report an additional 7th character with a placeholder X in the 6th character slot.
Do this: Go back and check the notes to see if the encounter for this injury is initial, subsequent, or sequela. Then choose one of the following codes as your final diagnosis:
- M97.22XA (Periprosthetic fracture around internal prosthetic left ankle joint, initial encounter)
- M97.22XD (Periprosthetic fracture around internal prosthetic left ankle joint, subsequent encounter)
- M97.22XS (Periprosthetic fracture around internal prosthetic left ankle joint, sequela).
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