I63.211
BillableCerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of right vertebral 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 blockage or narrowing of the right vertebral artery in the neck, which supplies blood to the brain.
Coding Tips
- •Verify documentation specifies right vertebral artery involvement; if bilateral or unspecified, use different codes
- •This code indicates the artery location but not the specific mechanism (thrombosis, embolism, etc.), so review clinical notes for additional detail
Clinical Significance
Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of the right vertebral artery identifies a posterior circulation stroke where the right vertebral artery is confirmed as the site but the exact mechanism (thrombosis, embolism, or atherosclerotic stenosis) is not documented. This is a clinically specific code for laterality but not for mechanism, and it accurately captures risk adjustment for posterior circulation stroke.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Imaging confirmation of posterior circulation cerebral infarction
- ✓Vascular imaging confirming right vertebral artery occlusion or stenosis
- ✓Documentation specifying right-sided laterality
- ✓Neurological examination with posterior circulation findings
- ✓Stroke workup to determine underlying mechanism
- ✓Treatment and prevention plan
Commonly Confused Codes
I63.011 — Thrombosis of right vertebral artery; thrombosis mechanism specifiedI63.111 — Embolism of right vertebral artery; embolism mechanism specifiedI63.212 — Unspecified occlusion of left vertebral artery; opposite lateralityI63.219 — Unspecified occlusion of unspecified vertebral artery; laterality also unknownI65.01 — Occlusion of right vertebral artery without cerebral infarction; no stroke
Code Hierarchy
└I63Cerebral infarction└I63.2Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of precerebral arteries└I63.21Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of vertebral arteries└I63.211Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of right vertebral artery
└I63.211Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of right vertebral artery