Dysphasia following cerebral infarction

This code signifies a speech and language disorder characterized by difficulty producing or comprehending spoken language, occurring as a direct sequela of a cerebral infarction (ischemic stroke). It indicates impaired communication abilities that developed after the brain tissue damage caused by the stroke.

Apply this code when documentation clearly states that the patient has dysphasia (expressive, receptive, or global) and explicitly links it as a residual effect of a prior cerebral infarction. This code is appropriate for both acute and chronic phases of dysphasia post-stroke, provided the causal link is established.

• Ensure the documentation specifies "dysphasia" and not "dysphagia" (difficulty swallowing), as these are distinct conditions.
• Always sequence this code after the appropriate cerebral infarction code (e.g., I63.x for acute, I69.3xx for sequelae of previous stroke if the stroke itself is not the primary reason for the encounter).
• Verify that the medical record explicitly connects the dysphasia to the cerebral infarction; avoid assuming causality without clear physician documentation.