Avulsion of scalp, sequela

This code signifies the long-term effects or complications arising from a prior avulsion injury to the scalp. An avulsion involves the forceful tearing away of a body part, in this case, the scalp, from its underlying attachments. Sequelae can include chronic pain, scarring, alopecia, nerve damage, or functional limitations resulting from the original injury.

Apply this code when documenting a patient presenting for treatment of a residual condition directly attributable to a previously sustained scalp avulsion. Documentation should clearly link the current complaint to the past avulsion injury and describe the specific sequela being addressed. This code is appropriate for follow-up care long after the initial injury has healed.

• Always use a secondary code to specify the exact nature of the sequela (e.g., L90.5 for scar conditions, L64.9 for alopecia).
• Ensure documentation explicitly states the condition is a "sequela" or "late effect" of a prior scalp avulsion.
• Do not use this code for the initial treatment of an acute scalp avulsion; refer to the acute injury codes (S08.0XXA, S08.0XXD).