Radial collateral ligament sprain of unsp elbow, sequela

This code signifies a chronic or late effect of an injury to the radial collateral ligament (RCL) of the elbow, which is a sprain. The RCL helps stabilize the elbow joint on the outer side. "Sequela" indicates that the initial injury has healed, but residual symptoms or complications persist.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates a past radial collateral ligament sprain of the elbow, and the patient is now presenting with ongoing issues directly attributable to that prior injury. This could include chronic pain, instability, or limited range of motion resulting from the healed sprain.

• Ensure the medical record explicitly states "sequela" or clearly describes a late effect of a previous RCL sprain.
• Confirm that the affected elbow is unspecified; if left or right is documented, a more specific code should be used.
• Always code the underlying condition or current symptom first, followed by this sequela code.