Injury of radial nerve at forearm level, unsp arm, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or residual effect stemming from a past injury to the radial nerve in the forearm. The specific arm affected is not documented, and the initial injury has already healed, but its lasting impact on the radial nerve is still present. This could manifest as persistent weakness, sensory deficits, or pain in the distribution of the radial nerve.

Use this code when documenting a patient presenting with ongoing symptoms directly attributable to a previous radial nerve injury at the forearm level, and the acute phase of the injury has passed. This is appropriate for follow-up visits addressing chronic issues like wrist drop, numbness, or tingling that are a direct consequence of the old injury.

• Always ensure "sequela" is clearly documented by the provider to support the use of the 7th character "S".
• This code should not be used for acute or initial injuries; those would require an initial encounter (A) or subsequent encounter (D) 7th character.
• If the specific arm (left or right) is known, a more specific code (S54.21XS or S54.22XS) should be used instead.