S52.252 Displaced comminuted fracture of shaft of ulna, left arm

ICD-10-CM Code S52.252: Displaced comminuted fracture of shaft of ulna, left arm

ICD-10-CM code S52.252 identifies a displaced comminuted fracture of the left ulnar shaft. Clinical literature notes that ulnar shaft fracture treatment is debatable, with comminuted fractures representing a factor implicated in nonunion. Official coding references place this diagnosis within the S52.25 category, requiring encounter details for full specificity. This code does not independently establish treatment or guarantee coverage. 2 3 4

Plain-language overview

Code S52.252 identifies a diagnosis of a displaced comminuted fracture located in the shaft of the ulna in the left arm. The available sources provide this specific diagnostic label but do not define the clinical terms comminuted or displaced. 3 4

What this code represents

The S52.252 diagnosis belongs to the S52.25 category for comminuted fractures of the ulnar shaft. The code specifically distinguishes this injury from nondisplaced left arm variants and right arm variants within the same coding category. 3 4

Coding details

The S52.252 code serves as a base diagnosis that expands into specific encounter extensions. Examples include S52.252N for subsequent encounters for open fractures with nonunion and S52.252S for sequela of the left ulnar shaft fracture. 4

Official coding manuals list S52.252 variants for initial encounters for closed fractures and initial encounters for open fractures. The manual also details subsequent encounter extensions for open fracture types IIIA, IIIB, or IIIC. 3 4

Documentation considerations

The available coding excerpts list S52.252 extensions that distinguish between initial encounters, subsequent encounters, and sequela. These sources do not explicitly state the clinical documentation requirements needed to assign the seventh character. 3 4

Clinical context

Clinical literature indicates that the optimal treatment for isolated fractures of the ulnar shaft is debatable. A prospective study compared operative treatment using plates and screws against non-operative management using an above elbow plaster cast. 2

Research identifies comminuted fractures as one of multiple factors implicated in the development of nonunion for isolated ulnar shaft fractures. Other factors include fracture location, initial displacement, injury mechanism, operative treatment, age, and gender. 2

What the sources add

Clinical literature focuses on treatment outcomes and nonunion factors for ulnar shaft fractures, while official coding manuals define the diagnostic labels and encounter extensions. Neither source set contains statements regarding payer coverage or whether a diagnosis code dictates treatment. 2 3

Surgical literature describes comminuted proximal ulna fractures and complex Monteggia lesions, noting that anatomical fixation of all fracture fragments is essential. This clinical focus on proximal injuries differs from the coding manual's specific focus on the ulnar shaft. 1 3

Sources

1. Fractures of the proximal ulna: current concepts in surgical management — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-25.
2. Does operative fixation of isolated fractures of ulna shaft results in different outcomes than non-operative management by long arm cast? — pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; accessed 2026-07-25.
3. ICD-10-CM/PCS MS-DRG v35.0 Definitions Manual — cms.gov; accessed 2026-07-25.
4. ICD-10-CM 2024 | S52.25 - Comminuted fracture of shaft of ulna — unboundmedicine.com; accessed 2026-07-25.