Puncture wound without foreign body of vocal cord, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or late effect stemming from a past puncture wound to the vocal cord, where no foreign object was retained at the time of the original injury. It indicates that the patient is experiencing ongoing issues directly attributable to that historical trauma, rather than an acute injury.

This code is appropriate when a patient presents with a current condition (e.g., chronic dysphonia, vocal cord scarring, impaired vocal cord mobility) that is a direct consequence of a previously sustained puncture wound to the vocal cord. Documentation should clearly link the current sequela to the past injury and confirm the absence of a foreign body at the time of the original wound.

• Always sequence this sequela code first, followed by a code describing the specific nature of the sequela (e.g., chronic dysphonia, vocal cord paralysis).
• Ensure documentation explicitly states "sequela" or "late effect" and clarifies the absence of a foreign body in the original injury.
• Distinguish from acute puncture wounds (S11.033A/D) which are used for initial or subsequent encounters for the active injury.