I72.0
BillableAneurysm of carotid artery
HCC Category Mapping
V24HCC 108 — Vascular Disease
0.297ESRDHCC 108 — Vascular Disease
0.000What This Code Means
A bulging or weakening of the carotid artery in the neck, which carries blood to the brain.
Coding Tips
- •Specify whether the aneurysm is in the internal, external, or common carotid artery if documented
- •Document any neurological symptoms or risk of stroke, as carotid aneurysms can lead to embolic events
Clinical Significance
Carotid artery aneurysm is a relatively rare but clinically significant condition that carries risk of thromboembolism, stroke, and rupture. The extracranial carotid location creates unique treatment considerations due to proximity to cranial nerves and the brain's blood supply. Accurate coding supports risk adjustment for this complex vascular condition requiring specialized surveillance.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Documentation specifying carotid artery aneurysm (internal, external, or common carotid)
- ✓Imaging confirmation (CT angiography, MR angiography, or duplex ultrasound) with measurements
- ✓Etiology when known (atherosclerotic, traumatic, mycotic, or dissection-related)
- ✓Assessment of associated symptoms (transient ischemic attack, stroke, or cranial nerve compression)
- ✓Treatment plan (surveillance, surgical repair, or endovascular stenting)
- ✓Laterality documentation (right vs left)
Excludes 1 — Do NOT code together
Commonly Confused Codes
I72.5 — Aneurysm of other precerebral arteries: for non-carotid precerebral arteries like subclavianI72.6 — Aneurysm of vertebral artery: different precerebral artery with different clinical implicationsI67.1 — Cerebral aneurysm, nonruptured: intracranial location, completely different code categoryI65.2x — Occlusion and stenosis of carotid artery: stenosis without aneurysm is a different pathology