I75.019
BillableAtheroembolism of unspecified upper extremity
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 264 — Vascular Disease with Complications
0.356V24HCC 107 — Vascular Disease with Complications
0.450ESRDHCC 107 — Vascular Disease with Complications
0.000What This Code Means
Cholesterol crystals or plaque fragments break loose from arteries and lodge in blood vessels of an arm, but the specific arm is not documented.
Coding Tips
- •Use only when laterality cannot be determined from medical record
- •Query provider if documentation is ambiguous to obtain more specific code
Clinical Significance
Atheroembolism of unspecified upper extremity captures cholesterol embolization to the upper limb when laterality has not been documented. While this still qualifies for the vascular complication HCC category, the unspecified laterality represents incomplete documentation. Atheroembolism reflects severe underlying atherosclerotic disease requiring comprehensive vascular management.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Documentation of atheroembolism affecting an upper extremity
- ✓Query provider for laterality specification
- ✓Clinical findings of cholesterol embolization
- ✓Source identification when possible
- ✓Systemic assessment for multi-organ involvement
- ✓Treatment documentation
Commonly Confused Codes
I75.011 — Atheroembolism of right upper extremity: use when right side is documentedI75.012 — Atheroembolism of left upper extremity: use when left side is documentedI75.013 — Atheroembolism of bilateral upper extremities: use when both sides are documentedI74.2 — Embolism and thrombosis of arteries of the upper extremities: general arterial embolism, not specifically atheroembolism
Code Hierarchy
└I75Atheroembolism└I75.0Atheroembolism of extremities└I75.01Atheroembolism of upper extremity└I75.019Atheroembolism of unspecified upper extremity
└I75.019Atheroembolism of unspecified upper extremity