I72.6
BillableAneurysm of vertebral artery
HCC Category Mapping
V24HCC 108 — Vascular Disease
0.297ESRDHCC 108 — Vascular Disease
0.000What This Code Means
A weakened, bulging section of the vertebral artery in the neck that carries blood to the brain and requires careful monitoring.
Coding Tips
- •Specify laterality (right/left) when documented in the medical record
- •Note whether the aneurysm is ruptured or non-ruptured for accurate code selection
Clinical Significance
Vertebral artery aneurysm is a rare but clinically important condition due to the risk of posterior circulation stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage (if intradural), or brainstem compression. The vertebral arteries supply the posterior brain, and aneurysms in this territory require specialized neurovascular management. Accurate coding reflects the complexity of this vascular condition.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Documentation specifying vertebral artery aneurysm (extracranial segment)
- ✓Imaging confirmation (CT angiography, MR angiography, or conventional angiography)
- ✓Size and morphology (saccular vs fusiform)
- ✓Laterality (right, left, or bilateral)
- ✓Segment involved (V1-V4 when documented)
- ✓Assessment of posterior circulation symptoms
- ✓Treatment plan (observation, endovascular, or surgical)
Excludes 2 — Not included here, may code separately
- dissection of vertebral artery (I77.74)
Commonly Confused Codes
I72.5 — Aneurysm of other precerebral arteries: for non-carotid, non-vertebral precerebral vesselsI72.0 — Aneurysm of carotid artery: different precerebral arteryI67.1 — Cerebral aneurysm, nonruptured: intracranial aneurysm including intradural vertebral — check documentation for locationI63.0xx — Cerebral infarction due to thrombosis of precerebral arteries: stroke event, not the aneurysm itself