Injury to other sympathetic nerve, excluding shoulder and pelvic girdles

This code signifies a traumatic injury affecting a sympathetic nerve located anywhere in the body, with the specific exclusion of the shoulder and pelvic girdle regions. This could involve damage to nerve fibers or ganglia that are part of the involuntary nervous system, impacting functions like heart rate, digestion, or sweating.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates a direct injury (e.g., laceration, contusion, compression) to a sympathetic nerve in areas such as the neck, chest, abdomen, or limbs, but not the shoulder or pelvic girdle. Supporting documentation should specify the nerve involved and the nature of the injury.

• Ensure the documentation explicitly states "sympathetic nerve" and the injury is traumatic.
• Verify the anatomical location of the injury; if it's in the shoulder or pelvic girdle, a different code is required.
• Always code the underlying cause of the injury (e.g., accident, assault) as an external cause code.