tci Part B Insider - 2009 Issue 14

PART B MYTHBUSTER: 'Compound' Fractures Refer to Broken Skin, Experts Say

Know these keywords to select the right ICD-9 code every time. Myth: Any fracture with more than one break is considered compound. Reality: Youll know whether your physician treated an open, or compound fracture if the documentation includes the words compound, infected, missile, puncture, open, or with foreign body. Case closed: Closed fractures refer to fractures in which the skin remains intact, with no broken skin or protruding bone at the site. Look for terms like comminuted,transverse, depressed, elevated,fissured, greenstick,impacted, linear, march, and simple. In addition, most stress fractures are closed fractures. Tip: Unless the term...

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