Cerebral infarction due to embolism of left carotid artery

This code signifies a stroke resulting from a blockage in the left carotid artery, caused by an embolus (a traveling clot or other foreign material). This specific infarction affects brain tissue due to the interruption of blood flow originating from the left carotid system.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states an ischemic stroke (cerebral infarction) is due to an embolism, and the origin of the embolism is identified as the left carotid artery. This typically follows imaging studies (e.g., CTA, MRA, ultrasound) confirming the location and embolic nature of the occlusion.

• Ensure documentation specifies "embolism" as the cause, not "thrombosis" or "unspecified."
• Verify the laterality of the carotid artery (left) is explicitly stated.
• Sequence this code as the primary diagnosis when it is the reason for the encounter.