I70.303

Billable

Unspecified atherosclerosis of unspecified type of bypass graft(s) of the extremities, bilateral legs

HCC Category Mapping

V24HCC 108 — Vascular Disease

0.297

ESRDHCC 108 — Vascular Disease

0.000

What This Code Means

This code describes a condition where fatty deposits have built up in bypass grafts (surgically placed blood vessels) in both legs, but the specific type of graft and the exact location are not specified. This buildup narrows the grafts and can reduce blood flow to the legs.

Coding Tips

•Verify documentation specifies bilateral involvement; if only one leg is affected, use a more specific code (I70.301 or I70.302)
•Review the medical record to determine if the graft type can be identified (venous, synthetic, or nonautologous); if documented, use a more specific code rather than 'unspecified'

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 (bilateral legs)
✓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 surgery I70.311-I70.319 (bypass graft with intermittent claudication) — Use when the specific symptom of exertional leg pain is documented I70.321-I70.329 (bypass graft with rest pain) — Use when ischemic pain at rest is documented, indicating more critical ischemia I70.331-I70.35 (bypass graft with ulceration) — Use when tissue breakdown is present I70.401-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 └I70.303Unspecified atherosclerosis of unspecified type of bypass graft(s) of the extremities, bilateral legs

└I70.303Unspecified atherosclerosis of unspecified type of bypass graft(s) of the extremities, bilateral legs