Superficial frostbite of unspecified hand, sequela

This code indicates a long-term complication or residual effect stemming from a superficial frostbite injury to an unspecified hand. It signifies that the initial frostbite has resolved, but the patient is still experiencing related issues such as chronic pain, numbness, or hypersensitivity in the affected area.

Apply this code when documenting a patient encounter for ongoing problems directly attributable to a past superficial frostbite injury of the hand, where the specific hand (left or right) is not documented. This is appropriate for follow-up visits addressing persistent symptoms after the acute phase of frostbite has passed.

• Always use a seventh character of "S" for sequela when reporting long-term effects of an injury.
• Ensure documentation clearly links the current symptoms to a previous superficial frostbite of the hand.
• Avoid using this code for acute frostbite; instead, use the appropriate acute frostbite code with a seventh character for the initial encounter or subsequent encounter.