Late effect of injury to cranial nerve

This code signifies a persistent neurological deficit or complication arising from a past injury to one or more cranial nerves. These late effects manifest after the acute phase of the original injury has resolved, indicating a long-term consequence rather than an immediate symptom. Examples include chronic facial paralysis, persistent vision loss, or ongoing hearing impairment due to prior trauma.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates a current neurological impairment directly attributable to a previous injury involving a cranial nerve. This applies to conditions like post-traumatic anosmia, chronic diplopia from nerve damage, or persistent dysphagia following a head injury affecting cranial nerves. Supporting documentation should specify the cranial nerve(s) affected and the causal link to a past injury.

• Always sequence this code after the code identifying the specific late effect (e.g., facial paralysis, optic atrophy).
• Ensure the medical record explicitly states the "late effect" or "sequela" of a past injury to a cranial nerve.
• Do not use for acute cranial nerve injuries; those are coded with specific acute injury codes.