Puncture wound without foreign body of left ear, sequela

This code indicates a long-term effect or complication resulting from a past puncture wound to the left ear, where no foreign object was retained. It signifies that the initial injury has healed, but residual issues, such as scarring, nerve damage, or chronic pain, are still present and being addressed.

Use this code when a patient presents with a current condition directly attributable to a puncture wound of the left ear that occurred in the past and has since healed. Documentation should clearly link the current sequela to the previous injury, often noting the absence of an active acute injury. This code is appropriate for follow-up care related to the lasting effects of the original trauma.

• Requires a seventh character "S" to denote sequela, indicating a complication or late effect.
• Do not use for acute puncture wounds; those would use the appropriate acute injury code.
• Always sequence the sequela code first, followed by codes for the specific residual condition(s) (e.g., scar, chronic pain).