Periprosthetic fractures ICD-10

Question:

I'm new to coding ortho and I am very confused on how to code periprosthetic fractures. I was under the impression that only one ICD-10 was required for this type of fracture (M97.x). What am I missing?

Answer:

There is a category of codes in ICD-10, specific to Periprosthetic fractures around internal prosthetic joints, and the category is M97. When referring to the tabular section of ICD-10, under M97 category there is an instructional note which states the following: code first, if known, the specific type and cause of the fracture. That being said, if the documentation reflects the site and type of fracture while also identifying this as a periprosthetic fracture around an internal prosthetic joint, you will assign the primary ICD-10 code for the known fracture, followed by ICD-10 from M97 series to identify the periprosthetic fracture for the specific joint. 

Example: Displaced comminuted periprosthetic fracture of the proximal shaft of the right femur, patient status post right total hip replacement. 

ICD-10 codes: 

1) S72.351A 

2) M97.01XA 

Let's take this one step further, according to ICD-10, if you have a periprosthetic fracture around a prosthetic joint in which there is no specific code, then you would report M97.8XX-, and then use an additional ICD-10 code to identify the joint Z96.6-. The ICD 10 instructions for M97 instruct to code first, if known, the specific type and cause (e.g. pathologic or traumatic). If you read on to M97.8, there are additional instructions to also report the appropriate joint (Z96.6-). As you can see, the instructions and hierarchy are a bit different when there is a specific joint arthroplasty code versus not. 

Example: Displaced comminuted periprosthetic fracture of the right distal radial shaft, patient status post right wrist arthroplasty. 

ICD-10 codes: 

1) S52.351A 

2) M97.8XXA 

3) Z96.631 

*This response is based on the best information available as of 12/19/24.