In ICD-10 coding, a sequela refers to a condition that results from a previous injury or disease, while a complication is a new condition that arises as a result of an existing condition or treatment.
A sequela code describes a condition that is a direct result of a previous injury or disease. For example, if a patient has a stroke and develops paralysis on one side of their body as a result, the paralysis would be considered a sequela of the stroke. Sequela codes in ICD-10 typically have a seventh character of “S” and can be used to track long-term outcomes of a particular condition.
A complication code, on the other hand, describes a new condition that arises as a result of an existing condition or treatment. For example, if a patient with diabetes develops a foot ulcer as a result of poor blood sugar control, the foot ulcer would be considered a complication of the diabetes. Complication codes in ICD-10 typically have a seventh character of “C” and can be used to track the frequency and severity of complications associated with a particular condition or treatment.
In summary, the main difference between sequela and complication codes in ICD-10 is that sequela codes describe a condition that is a direct result of a previous injury or disease, while complication codes describe a new condition that arises as a result of an existing condition or treatment.