Laceration of unspecified blood vessel of thorax, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or residual effect stemming from a laceration to an unspecified blood vessel within the thoracic cavity. It indicates that the initial injury has healed, but the patient is still experiencing issues directly attributable to that past trauma. The specific blood vessel involved is not documented.

Use this code when documenting follow-up care for a patient who previously sustained a thoracic blood vessel laceration and is now presenting with a chronic condition or sequela directly related to that injury. This applies when the acute phase of the injury has passed and the patient is being treated for the lasting effects.

• Requires a seventh character of 'S' for sequela, indicating a complication or residual effect.
• Always link to an external cause code (V, W, X, Y) if the original injury's cause is known and relevant to the sequela.
• Do not use for the initial acute injury; this code is exclusively for late effects.