Laceration of bronchus, bilateral, sequela

This code signifies a past injury involving a tear or cut in both the right and left main airways leading to the lungs. It indicates that the patient is experiencing a long-term consequence or complication directly resulting from this previous bilateral bronchial laceration. These sequelae could include chronic respiratory issues, scarring, or persistent symptoms.

Apply this code when documenting conditions that are residual effects of a previously sustained bilateral laceration of the bronchus. This is appropriate for follow-up encounters where the initial acute injury has healed, but the patient continues to suffer from related problems. Examples include chronic shortness of breath, recurrent infections, or structural changes identified on imaging, all directly attributable to the old injury.

• Always use this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the specific sequela being treated.
• Ensure documentation clearly links the current condition to the historical bilateral bronchial laceration.
• Verify that the laceration was indeed bilateral; if unilateral, a different sequela code would be appropriate.