Corrosion of unspecified degree of left ear, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or late effect resulting from a corrosive injury to any part of the left ear, excluding the eardrum. The original corrosive burn could have been of any severity, but this code is used once the acute phase of the injury has passed and residual issues persist.

Apply this code when documenting conditions such as scarring, chronic pain, hearing loss, or structural deformities of the left outer or middle ear (excluding the tympanic membrane) that are directly attributable to a past corrosive exposure. This code is appropriate for follow-up visits addressing these sequelae, even years after the initial injury.

• Always sequence this sequela code after the code for the specific residual condition (e.g., H90.x for hearing loss).
• Ensure documentation clearly links the current condition to a previous corrosive injury of the left ear.
• Do not use this code for acute corrosive injuries; those require codes from the T20.0-T20.3 series with an A, D, or S seventh character for the initial encounter, subsequent encounter, or sequela, respectively.