2025 ICD-10-CM code S52.332C

Displaced oblique fracture of shaft of left radius, initial encounter for open fracture type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC.

A secondary code from Chapter 20 (External causes of morbidity) should be used to indicate the cause of the injury (e.g., fall, motor vehicle accident).If a foreign body is retained in the fracture, code Z18.- should also be reported.Do not use this code for birth trauma (P10-P15) or obstetric trauma (O70-O71).

Medical necessity for treatment of an open fracture is generally established by the nature of the injury itself.The open wound, fracture displacement, and potential for complications justify the need for intervention such as surgical repair, wound management, and pain control.

Physicians typically diagnose this fracture based on physical examination, medical history, and imaging studies like x-rays, CT scans, or MRIs. Treatment for this type of fracture often involves surgery to clean the wound, realign the bone fragments, and stabilize the fracture with internal fixation devices (plates, screws, rods).Additional treatment might include pain medication, antibiotics to prevent infection, and immobilization with a cast or splint. After the initial healing phase, physical therapy is usually recommended to regain strength and range of motion in the affected arm.

In simple words: The larger bone in your left forearm (radius) has a diagonal break and has pierced the skin.This is a serious injury because of potential complications with infection and healing, categorized as a type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC open fracture.

A displaced oblique fracture of the shaft of the left radius is a break in the bone where the fracture line runs diagonally across the bone shaft.This specific code indicates that it is an open fracture, meaning the bone has broken through the skin, and is classified as type IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC according to the Gustilo open fracture classification.This classification system describes the severity of the open fracture based on the extent of soft tissue damage, bone fragmentation, and contamination. This code is used for the initial encounter for this injury.

Example 1: A 25-year-old male involved in a motorcycle accident presents with a left forearm wound with bone protruding. Imaging reveals a displaced oblique fracture of the left radius shaft, classified as a Gustilo type IIIB open fracture., A construction worker falls from scaffolding, sustaining an open fracture of their left radius. Upon examination and imaging, the injury is identified as a displaced oblique fracture with significant soft tissue injury and contamination, consistent with a Gustilo type IIIC open fracture., A 60-year-old female trips and falls, sustaining an open fracture of her left radius.Imaging reveals a displaced oblique fracture with moderate soft tissue damage, classified as a Gustilo type IIIA open fracture.

Documentation should include details of the injury mechanism, the appearance of the wound (size, depth, contamination), neurovascular assessment of the limb, and results of imaging studies confirming the fracture type and location.The Gustilo classification (IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC) must also be clearly documented to support the code selection.

  • Specialties:Orthopedic Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Trauma Surgery
  • Place of Service:Emergency Room - Hospital, Inpatient Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Office
** Only Enterprise users with EHR integration can access case-specific answers. Click here to request access.