ICD code T24.011S – Right thigh burn, sequela

Key takeaways

T24.011S is a billable ICD-10-CM code for burn of unspecified degree of right thigh, sequela, valid for reimbursement from October 1, 2025.

The 7th character ‘S’ designates a sequela encounter, distinct from ‘A’ (initial) and ‘D’ (subsequent) encounters for the same burn.

The residual condition is first-listed on the claim, and T24.011S follows it as the causal code.

Sequela codes like T24.011S are exempt from Present on Admission (POA) reporting per CMS guidelines.

Practice management software like Pabau ties ICD-10 codes to the clinical note, so the claim keeps the sequence.

ICD-10 Code T24.011S: Definition and billable status

ICD-10 Code T24.011S is the specific, billable ICD-10-CM code for “Burn of unspecified degree of right thigh, sequela.” It belongs to the Injuries, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes chapter (S00-T88), within the burns and corrosions block (T20-T25). The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), which maintains the ICD-10-CM code set, confirms this code is valid for FY2026 reimbursement purposes.

The “unspecified degree” label reflects a record where the clinician never wrote down whether the burn was first, second, or third degree. Degree-specific siblings do exist — T24.111S, T24.211S, and T24.311S each name a degree. Reach for T24.011S only when the documentation leaves the degree unstated.

Payers generally accept the unspecified degree code when the record lacks the detail for a more specific one. Where the original chart is available, query the provider before you default to it.

What the 7th character ‘S’ means in sequela coding

The 7th character ‘S’ marks a sequela encounter. The patient is seen for a condition caused by an earlier injury, after active treatment has ended. The CMS ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines (Section I.C.19) define sequela as a late effect of an acute injury. Two other 7th characters attach to the same base code, T24.011, and picking the wrong one is this family’s most common error.

A patient returning for scar revision three months after a right thigh burn has healed warrants T24.011S. The same patient seen two weeks post-injury for a wound check is still in the active phase and should be coded T24.011D. Switching from D to S is a clinical judgment call, not a calendar-based transition. Burn sequela codes at other body sites work the same way, including T22.342S.

Code hierarchy and classification for T24.011S

The hierarchy tells you whether T24.011S is as specific as the record allows, and which burn codes sit beside it. The WHO’s ICD-10 classification supplies the structure that ICD-10-CM expands on for US clinical use.

Knowing the parent codes helps when you query claims data or build practice-level reporting on burn outcomes. It also makes it obvious when a coder has stopped one level short of a billable code.

Approximate synonyms and alternate descriptions

ICD-10-CM cross-references T24.011S to several approximate synonyms that may appear in clinical documentation. Coders should recognize these alternative phrasings as equivalent to the official diagnosis description.

• Sequela of burn of right thigh, unspecified degree
• Late effect of burn of right thigh
• Right thigh burn sequela
• Burn scar of right thigh (when the sequela is specifically a scar)
• Right femoral region burn, late effect
• Unspecified degree burn of right thigh, consequence of prior injury

Notes often read “residual scarring from prior right thigh burn” or “contracture secondary to healed right thigh burn.” Both map to T24.011S as the causal code. The residual condition itself — scar, contracture, neuropathy — usually needs its own code alongside it. Those codes are listed further down.

Additional codes required when reporting T24.011S

Supplemental coding works differently on a sequela visit than it does on an acute burn. Applying the acute-phase rules to a sequela encounter is a common audit finding.

TBSA codes (T31/T32)

Total body surface area (TBSA) codes come from category T31 for burns and T32 for corrosions. They are required alongside an acute burn code. On a sequela visit they are usually not needed, unless the provider records the extent of the original burn as relevant context. Our ICD-10-CM diagnostic codes library covers the edge cases where the original burn’s extent still shapes treatment.

Sequela condition codes

T24.011S is the causal code. The residual condition being treated must be coded separately and listed as the principal or first-listed diagnosis. The sequela code follows it in the coding sequence. For example:

• Burn scar: L90.5 (Scar conditions and fibrosis of skin) — coded first, followed by T24.011S
• Hypertrophic scar: L91.0 (Hypertrophic scar) — coded first, followed by T24.011S
• Joint contracture: M24.551 or M24.552 (Contracture, right or left hip, depending on level) — verify the specific joint code for thigh contractures
• Post-burn neuropathy: G57.81 or relevant peripheral neuropathy code — coded first, followed by T24.011S

External cause codes

ICD-10-CM does not require external cause codes on a sequela encounter, though some payers and facilities still ask for them. Where they are used, the code describing the original burn mechanism carries the ‘S’ character too. Confirm what your payer expects before you add one.

ICD-10-CM burn coding guidelines for sequela encounters

ICD-10-CM Section I.C.19 governs burn coding. The guidelines separate aftercare visits from sequela visits. Aftercare still treats the burn itself. A sequela visit treats what the burn left behind.

• Aftercare or sequela: Use T24.011D while the burn is still healing under active wound care or therapy. Reserve T24.011S for a visit that treats a condition left by a healed burn.
• Principal diagnosis sequencing: The residual condition (scar, contracture, neuropathy) is the principal or first-listed diagnosis. T24.011S follows as the causal code. Do not list T24.011S as the principal diagnosis.
• Sequela code specificity: Report the most specific sequela condition code available. T24.011S on its own does not describe the reason for the visit, and it may draw a denial.
• No acute burn codes in sequela encounters: Do not add the active burn code alongside T24.011S to describe the original injury. The ‘S’ character already signals the historical causal relationship.

Applied consistently, these four rules keep a sequela claim defensible under audit. The panel below condenses them into the two decisions a coder actually makes.

Common sequelae of right thigh burns and their ICD-10-CM codes

A T24.011S claim is incomplete without the code for the condition being treated. These are the residual conditions that follow a right thigh burn most often, with the code each one takes.

Each of these conditions is the first-listed diagnosis on the claim, with T24.011S immediately following. Claims management software that preserves multi-code sequencing keeps the causal code off line one, without a coder re-checking every claim.

Clinical documentation tips for ICD-10 Code T24.011S

A coded claim is only as defensible as the note behind it. Sequela burn denials usually start in the record, not in the code the coder picked. Here is what the note has to establish for T24.011S.

What the clinical note must establish

• Laterality confirmation: The note must specify “right thigh” or “right femoral region.” A note stating “burn sequela” without laterality cannot support T24.011S over T24.019S (unspecified thigh, sequela).
• Causal linkage: The provider must connect the current condition to the prior burn. Phrases like “residual scarring from prior right thigh burn” or “contracture secondary to healed burn injury, right thigh” establish the sequela relationship.
• Healed status of original burn: The note should state that the original burn wound has healed. Without this, the coder cannot justify moving from a subsequent encounter code to a sequela code.
• Current condition specificity: Name the residual condition being treated (scar, contracture, neuropathy, pruritus). This supports the additional condition code that becomes the principal diagnosis.
• Burn degree (where known): If historical records document the degree of the original burn, carry that forward. Where the degree was never recorded, note that it is unknown, so the unspecified code is explained.

One sentence tying the current condition back to the burn is often what separates a paid claim from a denied one. It costs the provider five seconds at the point of documentation. The AAPC’s ICD-10-CM code reference carries further guidance on 7th character sequela documentation across injury chapters.

Billing and reimbursement for T24.011S

T24.011S is a billable code accepted by Medicare, Medicaid, and most commercial payers. The code is exempt from Present on Admission (POA) reporting, which simplifies hospital inpatient submissions. Payment tracks the sequela being treated rather than the burn code itself. A wound care visit for scar revision carries different RVU weights than a neurology consult for post-burn neuropathy.

Practices submitting sequela burn claims should check payer-specific LCD (Local Coverage Determination) policies for the residual condition codes that accompany T24.011S. Some payers apply additional documentation requirements for scar revision procedures. A complete claim on the first submission saves the back-and-forth these encounters otherwise generate.

How Pabau keeps sequela coding and claims in one record

Where charting and billing live in separate systems, a sequela visit gets coded twice. The clinician writes the note, then someone re-keys the diagnosis codes into a billing screen. Sequence is what usually breaks on that second pass, and T24.011S ends up on line one.

Practice management software like Pabau keeps the note and the claim in the same patient record. The insurer and policy sit on the record, so an invoice routes to the right third party without re-keying. In the US, claims go out through Claim.MD, the clearinghouse Pabau connects to, straight from the invoice.

For a coder working burn sequelae, the residual condition stays first-listed and T24.011S stays second. Every claim shows its live status on one dashboard, so a rejection on a sequela code surfaces the same day rather than a month later.

Keep sequela codes in order from note to claim

Pabau holds ICD-10 codes on the clinical note and carries them, in sequence, onto the insurance claim. Submit to Claim.MD without leaving the patient record, and track every claim’s status in one dashboard.

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Conclusion

T24.011S describes a specific moment in burn care. The wound has healed, and the patient still needs treatment for what it left behind. Three steps separate a clean sequela claim from a denied one. Pick the right 7th character, list the residual condition first, and document the causal link in the note.

If your coders switch burn patients from D to S on a calendar rather than on the chart, fix that habit first. Book a demo to see how Pabau keeps the diagnosis codes, the sequence, and the claim in one record.

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