Injury to trigeminal nerve

This code signifies damage or trauma to the trigeminal nerve, the fifth cranial nerve, which is responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions like chewing. This injury can result in sensory deficits, pain (e.g., trigeminal neuralgia), or motor weakness affecting the jaw muscles.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates a direct injury to the trigeminal nerve, such as from trauma (e.g., facial fracture, penetrating injury), surgical complications, or iatrogenic causes. Supporting documentation should specify the nerve involved and the nature of the injury.

• Differentiate from trigeminal neuralgia (G50.0 in ICD-10-CM) which is a pain syndrome, not necessarily a direct injury.
• Specify the cause of the injury if known and documented (e.g., external cause codes in ICD-10-CM).
• Consider laterality if specified in the documentation (e.g., right, left, bilateral).