S72.39
Other fracture of shaft of femur
S72.39 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code header for other fracture of shaft of femur. Report a more specific code from it instead. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. The more specific codes under it are S72.391 Other fracture of shaft of right femur, S72.392 Other fracture of shaft of left femur and S72.399 Other fracture of shaft of unspecified femur. Its coding notes include a Use additional code instruction, 1 Excludes1 entry and 9 Excludes2 entries.
7th characters
Every code below needs one of these (defined at S72).
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to all codes from category S72
- Ainitial encounter for closed fracture
- Binitial encounter for open fracture type I or II (initial encounter for open fracture NOS)
- Cinitial encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC
- Dsubsequent encounter for closed fracture with routine healing
- Esubsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with routine healing
- Fsubsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with routine healing
- Gsubsequent encounter for closed fracture with delayed healing
- Hsubsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with delayed healing
- Jsubsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with delayed healing
- Ksubsequent encounter for closed fracture with nonunion
- Msubsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with nonunion
- Nsubsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with nonunion
- Psubsequent encounter for closed fracture with malunion
- Qsubsequent encounter for open fracture type I or II with malunion
- Rsubsequent encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC with malunion
- Ssequela
Guidelines tips
From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.
A fracture not stated as open or closed is coded closed, and one not stated as displaced or not displaced is coded displaced. Nonunion and malunion have their own 7th characters.
The 7th character depends on whether the patient is in active treatment, not on who sees the patient. An aftercare Z code is not used for injury aftercare.
Each injury gets its own code unless a combination code exists, with the most serious injury first. Superficial injuries at the same site as a more severe injury are not coded. Injuries during medical care are coded as complications.
Use additional code
Add the listed code as a secondary code, if known.
Also from chapter/block level (1 note)
- code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)
Excludes1
Not coded here. The listed conditions generally should not be reported together.
Excludes2
Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.
Also from chapter/block level (6 notes)
- birth trauma (P10-P15)
- obstetric trauma (O70-O71)
Notes
- A fracture not indicated as displaced or nondisplaced should be coded to displaced
- A fracture not indicated as open or closed should be coded to closed
- The open fracture designations are based on the Gustilo open fracture classification
Also from chapter/block level (2 notes)
- Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
- The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.
Alphabetic Index terms
Terms the official Alphabetic Index lists for this code. 1 entry