ICD-10 code S82.036S: Nondisplaced transverse fracture of patella, sequela

Key takeaways

ICD-10 code S82.036S describes a nondisplaced transverse fracture of the patella, unspecified knee, coded at the sequela stage.

S82.036S is a billable, specific ICD-10-CM code, while the parent code S82.036 without a 7th character is not billable.

The 7th character S signifies sequela, a late effect arising after the fracture has healed.

Subsequent encounter characters D, G, K, P, Q, and R apply while the fracture is still healing.

When the record documents laterality, code S82.034S for the right knee or S82.035S for the left knee.

Claims management software like Pabau helps practices track fracture coding and catch missing documentation before a claim goes out.

ICD-10 code S82.036S is a billable ICD-10-CM code for a nondisplaced transverse fracture of the patella, unspecified knee, sequela. It took effect on October 1, 2025, in the FY2026 ICD-10-CM edition. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, known as CMS, maintains the code set with the National Center for Health Statistics.

Three descriptors make this code specific.

• Nondisplaced means the bone fragments stay in anatomical alignment. The kneecap has cracked but has not shifted out of position.
• Transverse means the fracture line runs horizontally across the patella, rather than lengthwise or in a stellate pattern.
• Unspecified knee means the treating clinician did not document which side was fractured.

When the record does document laterality, the nondisplaced lateralized codes are S82.034S for the right knee and S82.035S for the left knee. The numbering catches people out. S82.031S through S82.033S cover displaced fractures, and only S82.034S through S82.036S are nondisplaced.

Quick reference: S82.036S code details

Use the table below to verify billable status, effective date, and the POA indicator before you submit a claim.

Clinical description: Nondisplaced transverse fracture of the patella

The patella, or kneecap, is a small sesamoid bone at the front of the knee joint. It protects the joint and improves the mechanical advantage of the quadriceps during extension.

Transverse patella fractures usually follow a direct blow to the kneecap or a sudden forceful contraction of the quadriceps. A fall onto a bent knee is the classic mechanism. Orthopedic and sports medicine practices see these injuries often, particularly in older adults with reduced bone density.

In a nondisplaced fracture, the fracture line crosses the patella but the two fragments have not separated. The extensor mechanism of the knee is usually intact. Casting or bracing is common when displacement is absent and the extensor mechanism works normally.

Once the fracture heals, patients may develop sequela. These are lasting complications of the original injury, such as post-traumatic arthritis, chronic knee pain, or limited range of motion. A laceration of the quadriceps leaves late effects of its own, reported with S76.129S.

Unspecified laterality applies when the documentation does not state which knee was fractured. Query the clinician for laterality where you can. Use the unspecified code only when the record genuinely does not support a more specific choice.

Understanding the 7th character ‘S’ and sequela coding

The S82.036 code family needs a 7th character to become billable. That character specifies the encounter type, and it is where most patella fracture coding errors happen. Getting S82.036S right means separating sequela (S) from the subsequent encounter characters D, G, K, P, Q, and R.

Sequela coding follows one principle across every ICD-10-CM injury chapter, whether the injury was a fracture or a sprain like S63.615S. Sequela codes capture late effects that persist or appear after the acute phase has resolved. The condition treated at that encounter is a downstream consequence of the original fracture.

All 7th character variations of S82.036

Patella fractures default to closed unless the record documents an open wound communicating with the fracture site. The highlighted row is the encounter type S82.036S represents. Characters H, J, M, N, Q, and R cover open fracture variants that follow the same nonunion and malunion pattern.

Code hierarchy: Where S82.036S sits in ICD-10-CM

Knowing the parent structure helps you find the code fast and confirm you are in the right branch. The CDC ICD-10-CM web tool lays out the hierarchy:

• S00-T88 — Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
• S80-S89 — Injuries to the knee and lower leg
• S82 — Fracture of lower leg, including ankle
• S82.0 — Fracture of patella
• S82.03 — Transverse fracture of patella, the parent category covering both displaced and nondisplaced subcodes
• S82.036 — Nondisplaced transverse fracture of patella, unspecified knee (non-billable header)
• S82.036S — Nondisplaced transverse fracture of patella, unspecified knee, sequela (billable)

S82.036 without a 7th character is a non-billable header. It organizes the hierarchy but cannot go on a claim. Every code in the family needs a valid 7th character to become billable, and a bare S82.036 will be rejected.

Many EHR systems surface the parent code first in search results. Coders have to drill down to the 7th character before finalizing the selection. Skipping that step is how a non-billable header ends up on a claim.

Related and adjacent patella fracture codes

The S82.0 category covers every patella fracture. The table below shows the S82.03 transverse family and two adjacent subtypes, each in its sequela form. The AAPC code lookup confirms the full 7th character list for any of them.

When the record documents laterality, use S82.034S for the right knee or S82.035S for the left knee instead of S82.036S. When the fracture was displaced and the side is still undocumented, S82.033S is the correct choice. The femur family is built the same way, which is why a code like S72.411S names both displacement and side.

Submitting S82.036S when the chart clearly documents the right knee is a specificity error. It can trigger payer queries and audits.

Coding guidelines for S82.036S

Chapter 19 of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting governs sequela coding for fractures. Use the sequela character S when the current encounter treats a condition that resulted from a prior fracture. That fracture must have healed, or the acute phase of care must be complete.

Subsequent encounter codes work the other way. They apply while the fracture is still healing and the patient is receiving care for that healing process.

When to use S82.036S vs subsequent encounter codes

Use S82.036S only after the fracture reaches its end state and the encounter treats a resulting complication.

A common mistake is applying S82.036S to a nonunion or malunion encounter. ICD-10-CM still classifies nonunion (K) and malunion (P) as subsequent encounters, because the fracture has not healed conventionally.

Sequela applies only once the fracture site has reached a definitive end state and the encounter treats a complication of that resolved injury. Nonunion coding for other bones works the same way, as in S62.630K.

Documentation requirements for fracture sequela

Supporting S82.036S takes specific documentation elements in the medical record. Incomplete documentation is the most common reason sequela claims get queried or denied on audit. These requirements hold in any EHR, including practices running HIPAA-compliant health records.

• Fracture type confirmation: The record must state or imply a transverse fracture pattern. An operative report, an imaging report describing a transverse fracture line, or fracture clinic notes all work.
• Displacement status: Documentation must support nondisplaced status. Imaging phrases such as “fracture without displacement,” “intact alignment,” or “no fragment separation” are acceptable.
• Healed fracture status: The encounter note must document that the prior fracture has healed, or at least that the acute phase is complete. It must also show that this visit addresses a condition resulting from that healed injury.
• Nature of the sequela condition: The sequela itself must be named. Post-traumatic patellofemoral arthritis, chronic anterior knee pain, and quadriceps weakness after a healed fracture all qualify.
• Laterality documentation: If any clinical document names the side, code S82.034S for the right knee or S82.035S for the left knee. S82.036S applies only when the record genuinely does not specify which knee.
• POA status: Trauma codes including S82.036S are typically exempt from the Present on Admission indicator. Check your facility’s coding compliance policy to confirm.

Structured clinical record keeping lets you build documentation prompts into encounter templates. That cuts down on missing laterality and on healed-versus-acute ambiguity. Encounter forms should capture fracture history, current symptoms, and the clinician’s explicit statement that the visit treats a sequela condition.

Coders can cross-reference descriptions and billable status against the official CMS tabular list during chart review. If your physical therapy EMR includes coding support, confirm its code library reflects the FY2026 edition effective October 1, 2025.

How Pabau keeps fracture sequela claims clean

Fracture sequela coding usually breaks down between the clinical note and the claim. Laterality sits in a radiology report nobody opened, or the note never confirms that the fracture healed. The denial then arrives weeks later, when the encounter is cold.

Practice management software like Pabau keeps the whole record in one place. Imaging reports, operative notes, and prior visits sit on the same client file. Laterality and healed status are then one click away, not a phone call. Encounter templates can require those fields before a note is signed.

Pabau’s claims management software then tracks each claim through submission and payment. You can see which codes are being queried and which documentation field keeps coming back empty. That lets you fix the template rather than the individual claim.

Keep fracture coding and documentation together

Pabau helps orthopedic and physical therapy practices assign fracture sequela codes accurately and track every claim to payment. That means fewer denials and no separate billing tool to reconcile.

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Conclusion

S82.036S is a narrow code, and the two ways it goes wrong are both documentation problems. Either the side of the body was in the chart and nobody looked, or the note never confirmed the fracture had healed. Neither is a coding judgment call.

So the fix belongs upstream, in the encounter template rather than the claim scrubber. Get laterality and healed status captured at the visit, and the 7th character choice makes itself. Book a demo to see how Pabau keeps fracture coding and documentation in one place.

Continue your research

Coding a femur fracture sequela? S72.411S shows how displacement and laterality combine in a lower-limb sequela code.

Need the nonunion rule in practice? S62.630K walks through a 7th character K encounter and why it is not a sequela.

Working an open fracture claim? S72.041B covers the initial encounter characters for open fractures of the femur.

Coding late effects outside fractures? S63.615S applies the same sequela logic to a healed sprain.

Documenting the end of an episode of care? Patient discharge form covers what to record when a patient’s treatment closes out.

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