Burn of third degree of left ear, sequela

This code signifies a third-degree burn affecting the left ear, excluding the eardrum, where the acute injury has healed and the patient is now experiencing a long-term complication or late effect. Third-degree burns involve full-thickness skin destruction and often result in significant scarring, contractures, or other permanent tissue damage. The "sequela" designation indicates that the burn itself is no longer an active injury but its lasting effects are being treated or evaluated.

This code is appropriate for encounters where a patient presents with a chronic condition or complication directly attributable to a previously sustained third-degree burn of the left ear. Examples include surgical repair of scar contractures, management of chronic pain, or evaluation of disfigurement resulting from the burn. It should be used after the initial healing phase of the acute burn.

• Always use this code as a secondary diagnosis, following the code for the specific sequela being treated (e.g., scar, contracture, pain).
• Ensure documentation clearly states the burn was third-degree and located on the left ear, with the current encounter addressing a long-term effect.
• Do not use this code for the initial treatment of an acute burn; use the acute burn codes (T20.312A, D) for those encounters.