I63.032
BillableCerebral infarction due to thrombosis of left carotid artery
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 249 — Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke
0.289V24HCC 100 — Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke
0.262ESRDHCC 100 — Ischemic or Unspecified Stroke
0.000What This Code Means
A stroke caused by a blood clot in the left carotid artery, one of the main blood vessels in the neck supplying the brain.
Coding Tips
- •Confirm laterality is documented as 'left' in clinical notes or imaging reports
- •Distinguish from right-sided or bilateral carotid involvement
Clinical Significance
Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of the left carotid artery is a major anterior circulation ischemic stroke. Since the left hemisphere is dominant for language in most individuals, left carotid thrombosis frequently causes aphasia in addition to right-sided motor and sensory deficits. This stroke mechanism carries significant implications for patient functional outcomes and is critical for risk adjustment.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Imaging confirmation of acute cerebral infarction in left carotid territory
- ✓Vascular imaging confirming left carotid artery thrombosis
- ✓Documentation explicitly stating left carotid artery involvement
- ✓Neurological examination including speech/language assessment and right-sided motor/sensory findings
- ✓National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score
- ✓Treatment documentation and stroke etiology workup
Commonly Confused Codes
I63.031 — Thrombosis of right carotid artery; opposite lateralityI63.039 — Thrombosis of unspecified carotid artery; use only when side is unknownI63.132 — Embolism of left carotid artery; different mechanismI63.232 — Unspecified occlusion of left carotid artery; mechanism not identifiedI65.22 — Occlusion of left carotid artery without cerebral infarction; no stroke