Unspecified superficial injury of nose, sequela

This code indicates a superficial injury to the nose, such as a scratch, abrasion, or contusion, where the specific nature of the injury is not documented. The "S" in the 7th character signifies that this encounter is for the sequela (late effects) of the initial injury, meaning the patient is presenting for complications or conditions arising directly from the original superficial nasal trauma after the acute phase has passed.

Use this code when a patient presents with a long-term effect or complication directly attributable to a past, unspecified superficial injury of the nose. Documentation should clearly state that the current condition is a sequela of a previous superficial nasal injury, but the exact type of superficial injury was not specified in the original encounter or is unknown.

• Requires a 7th character "S" for sequela; do not use for initial or subsequent encounters for the acute injury.
• Always sequence the sequela code first, followed by codes for the specific manifestation(s) of the sequela.
• Avoid using this code if the specific type of superficial injury (e.g., abrasion, contusion) is documented; instead, use the more specific sequela code for that injury type.