Unspecified fracture of facial bones, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or residual effect stemming from an unspecified fracture of the facial bones. It indicates that the acute phase of the fracture has passed, and the patient is now experiencing a chronic issue directly attributable to the prior injury.

Use this code when documentation clearly states a sequela (e.g., chronic pain, nonunion, malunion, nerve damage, cosmetic deformity) resulting from a past, unspecified facial bone fracture. This code is appropriate for encounters addressing these late effects, not the initial injury or its immediate healing phase.

• Always sequence this sequela code first, followed by a code describing the specific nature of the sequela (e.g., M84.28 for nonunion).
• Ensure documentation explicitly links the current condition to a prior facial bone fracture, and that the fracture itself was unspecified.
• Do not use for acute or subacute fractures; those require initial or subsequent encounter codes.