Sequela

A sequela, (pronounced /sɨˈkwiːlə/, plural sequelæ) is a pathological condition resulting from a disease, injury, or other trauma.

Chronic kidney disease, for example, is sometimes a sequela of diabetes, and neck pain is a common sequela of whiplash or other trauma to the cervical vertebrae. Post-traumatic stress disorder may be a psychological sequela of rape. Sequelae of traumatic brain injury include headache and dizziness, anxiety, apathy, depression, aggression, cognitive impairments, personality changes, mania, psychosis. Typically, a sequela is a chronic condition that is a complication of an acute condition that begins during the acute condition. This is in contrast to a late effect.

Some conditions may be diagnosed retrospectively from their sequelae. An example is pleurisy.

Other examples of sequelae include those following neurological injury; including aphasia, ataxia, hemi- and quadriplegia, and any number of other changes that may be caused by a neurological insult.

Status Post

The phrase 'status post', abbreviated in writing as 's/p', is used to discuss sequelae with reference to their cause. The phrase is typically used for acute traumatic conditions. Example: the statement 'the patient had neck pain status post a motor vehicle accident'.