ICD10
ICD-10 Code I65.0: Occlusion and stenosis of vertebral artery
Reviewed by HealthAssure Clinical TeamUpdated 26 May 2026
What is this code?
ICD-10 entries help standardize how diagnoses are organized for coding, reporting, analytics, and documentation. This code sits within the broader ICD-10 area for Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99).
When is it used?
- May be used when a clinician documents occlusion and stenosis of vertebral artery in a patient's medical record.
- May appear in hospital records, claims, referrals, and clinical documentation.
- This code may act more like a grouping or parent code, so a more specific child code may be used in final documentation when available.
What it does not mean
- A code alone does not explain severity, treatment plan, or outcome.
- A medical code should not be treated as a substitute for a doctor's diagnosis or advice.
- This entry may represent a broader category rather than the most specific billable code.
Code hierarchy
chapter
9Diseases of the circulatory system (I00-I99)
block
I60-I69Cerebrovascular diseases
category
I65Occlusion and stenosis of precerebral arteries, not resulting in cerebral infarction
currentI65
Where you may see this code
You may see this entry in coding references, medical records, or claims workflows when a broader diagnosis category is being reviewed before a more specific code is chosen.
Related specialists
CardiologistGeneral Physician
Related codes
Sibling codes
Mapped diagnoses and classifications
SNOMED_CT 1204188007high
Asymptomatic occlusion of extracranial vertebral artery
Source: SNOMED International ICD-10 map
SNOMED_CT 1204189004high
Asymptomatic occlusion of intracranial vertebral artery
Source: SNOMED International ICD-10 map
SNOMED_CT 1204160001high
Asymptomatic stenosis of extracranial vertebral artery
Source: SNOMED International ICD-10 map
SNOMED_CT 1204150005high
Asymptomatic stenosis of intracranial vertebral artery
Source: SNOMED International ICD-10 map
SNOMED_CT 1155699009high
Bilateral embolism of vertebral arteries
Source: SNOMED International ICD-10 map
SNOMED_CT 788454002high
Bilateral stenosis of vertebral arteries
Source: SNOMED International ICD-10 map
Coding guidelines
Compatibility
Legacy code aligns to an official FY 2026 category. Frontend should resolve to the official category page and surface the billable child codes.
Legacy codes
I65.0
Replacement codes
I65.01 — Occlusion and stenosis of right vertebral arteryI65.02 — Occlusion and stenosis of left vertebral arteryI65.03 — Occlusion and stenosis of bilateral vertebral arteriesI65.09 — Occlusion and stenosis of unspecified vertebral artery
Common synonyms
Occlusion and stenosis of vertebral artery
Frequently asked questions
About this content
This page is prepared by HealthAssure's clinical team using official coding standards from ICD-10. AI tools assist with drafting explanations, which are then reviewed and verified by healthcare professionals for accuracy. This content is for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. Meet our team.