Open bite of right ring finger with damage to nail, sequela

This code describes a healed or residual effect of an open bite injury to the right ring finger, specifically involving damage to the nail structure. It indicates that the initial acute injury has passed, but lasting consequences such as nail deformity, chronic infection, or impaired nail growth persist.

This code is appropriate for documenting follow-up encounters where a patient presents with ongoing issues directly attributable to a past open bite of the right ring finger with nail involvement. This includes scenarios like chronic paronychia, onycholysis, or significant nail plate distortion resulting from the original injury. It should be used when the primary treatment for the acute injury has concluded, and the focus is on managing these long-term complications.

• Always assign this "S" (sequela) code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the specific sequela being treated (e.g., chronic onychomycosis).
• Ensure documentation clearly links the current nail damage or condition to a previous open bite injury of the right ring finger.
• Do not use this code for acute injuries; instead, select an appropriate acute injury code from the S61.35x series.