Unsp injury at unsp level of cervical spinal cord, sequela

This code signifies a long-term complication or residual effect stemming from an unspecified injury to an unspecified level of the cervical spinal cord. It indicates that the initial acute injury has healed, but the patient continues to experience lasting neurological deficits or other sequelae directly attributable to that past trauma.

This code is appropriate for documenting chronic conditions or permanent impairments resulting from a cervical spinal cord injury when the specific level of the cord involvement and the exact nature of the initial injury are not precisely documented or are unknown. It should be used for encounters addressing the effects of the injury, not the acute injury itself. Documentation should clearly state a history of cervical spinal cord injury and ongoing related symptoms or conditions.

• Always assign this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the specific sequela (e.g., spasticity, paralysis, chronic pain).
• Ensure the documentation explicitly links the current condition to a past cervical spinal cord injury. Avoid using this code for acute or subacute injuries.
• If the specific level of the cervical spinal cord injury or the precise nature of the initial injury is known, a more specific S14.1- code should be utilized.