Other fracture of base of skull, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or residual effect stemming from a fracture to the base of the skull, excluding the occipital condyle. It indicates that the initial injury has healed, but the patient continues to experience related health issues. These sequelae can include neurological deficits, cranial nerve palsies, or persistent cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

Apply this code when a patient presents with a current condition directly resulting from a previously healed fracture of the skull base. Documentation should clearly link the current sequela to the old skull base fracture. This code is appropriate for encounters where the focus is on managing the chronic effects, not the acute injury.

• Always sequence this sequela code first, followed by codes for the specific manifestations of the sequela (e.g., cranial nerve palsy, CSF leak).
• Ensure documentation explicitly states "sequela," "late effect," or describes a chronic condition directly attributable to a past skull base fracture.
• Distinguish from acute skull base fractures (S02.1-) which are used for initial treatment or active healing phases.