I70.301
BillableUnspecified atherosclerosis of unspecified type of bypass graft(s) of the extremities, right leg
HCC Category Mapping
V24HCC 108 — Vascular Disease
0.297ESRDHCC 108 — Vascular Disease
0.000What This Code Means
Plaque buildup in a surgical bypass graft placed in the right leg to restore blood flow around a blocked artery.
Coding Tips
- •Confirm the bypass graft location and laterality (right vs left) from operative reports or imaging
- •Use this code when the type of bypass graft material is not specified in documentation
Clinical Significance
Atherosclerosis of bypass graft(s) without specification of rest pain, ulceration, or gangrene indicates peripheral arterial disease that may present with claudication or be asymptomatic. While less severe than limb-threatening ischemia, this condition requires ongoing monitoring, medical management, and cardiovascular risk factor modification to prevent disease progression. Proper documentation of the specific manifestations helps distinguish this from more severe peripheral arterial disease categories.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Clinical diagnosis of peripheral atherosclerosis explicitly documented by the provider
- ✓Specification of the affected vessel type (bypass graft(s))
- ✓Laterality clearly documented (right leg)
- ✓Description of symptoms (claudication, diminished pulses, skin changes) or notation of asymptomatic disease
- ✓Vascular assessment findings such as ankle-brachial index, pulse examination, or imaging
- ✓Current treatment plan including medications, lifestyle modifications, and surveillance schedule
- ✓Documentation of prior bypass graft surgery with type of graft if known (autologous vein, nonnautologous biological, or nonbiological — code to specific graft type when documented)
Commonly Confused Codes
I70.2xx (native artery series) — Use I70.2xx when atherosclerosis involves the native arteries rather than a bypass graft; do not use bypass graft codes without documentation of prior graft surgeryI70.311-I70.319 (bypass graft with intermittent claudication) — Use when the specific symptom of exertional leg pain is documentedI70.321-I70.329 (bypass graft with rest pain) — Use when ischemic pain at rest is documented, indicating more critical ischemiaI70.331-I70.35 (bypass graft with ulceration) — Use when tissue breakdown is presentI70.401-I70.499, I70.501-I70.599, I70.601-I70.699 (specific graft type codes) — Always code to the most specific graft type documented (autologous vein, nonnautologous biological, nonbiological)I73.9 (Peripheral vascular disease, unspecified) — Avoid when bypass graft atherosclerosis can be coded specifically
Code Hierarchy
└I70Atherosclerosis└I70.3Atherosclerosis of unspecified type of bypass graft(s) of the extremities└I70.30Unspecified atherosclerosis of unspecified type of bypass graft(s) of the extremities└I70.301Unspecified atherosclerosis of unspecified type of bypass graft(s) of the extremities, right leg
└I70.301Unspecified atherosclerosis of unspecified type of bypass graft(s) of the extremities, right leg