I63.212
BillableCerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of left 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 left vertebral artery in the neck, which supplies blood to the brain.
Coding Tips
- •Confirm documentation clearly identifies left vertebral artery as the affected vessel
- •Distinguish from bilateral or unspecified vertebral artery codes based on clinical findings
Clinical Significance
Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of the left vertebral artery captures a posterior circulation stroke with confirmed left vertebral artery involvement where the specific mechanism is not documented. The left vertebral artery is the dominant vessel in many patients, making its occlusion particularly impactful on posterior circulation perfusion. Accurate coding supports risk adjustment and clinical documentation review.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Imaging confirmation of posterior circulation cerebral infarction
- ✓Vascular imaging confirming left vertebral artery occlusion or stenosis
- ✓Documentation specifying left-sided laterality
- ✓Neurological examination documenting posterior circulation deficits
- ✓Evaluation for the mechanism of occlusion (thrombosis, embolism, atherosclerotic stenosis)
- ✓Treatment and management plan
Commonly Confused Codes
I63.012 — Thrombosis of left vertebral artery; mechanism specified as thrombosisI63.112 — Embolism of left vertebral artery; mechanism specified as embolismI63.211 — Unspecified occlusion of right vertebral artery; opposite lateralityI63.219 — Unspecified occlusion of unspecified vertebral artery; laterality also unknownI65.02 — Occlusion of left 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└I63.212Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of left vertebral artery
└I63.212Cerebral infarction due to unspecified occlusion or stenosis of left vertebral artery