Sprain of ligaments of cervical spine, sequela

This code signifies the long-term effects or complications arising from a previous sprain of the ligaments in the cervical spine. It indicates that the initial injury has resolved, but the patient continues to experience residual symptoms or conditions directly attributable to that past sprain.

Apply this code when a patient presents with chronic pain, instability, limited range of motion, or other persistent issues in the neck that are documented as a direct consequence of a prior cervical ligamentous sprain. Documentation should clearly link the current sequelae to a historical cervical sprain, even if the original injury occurred months or years ago.

• Always use this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the specific sequela (e.g., chronic pain, cervical instability).
• Ensure the medical record explicitly states the current condition is a "sequela" or "due to old injury" of a cervical ligament sprain.
• Distinguish from acute or subacute sprains; this code is exclusively for the late effects.