Atheroembolism of bilateral upper extremities

This code signifies the presence of atheroembolic disease affecting both upper limbs. It describes a condition where cholesterol crystals or other atherosclerotic debris break off from a proximal atherosclerotic plaque and travel to the arteries of the arms, causing obstruction and ischemia.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates atheroembolism as the cause of symptoms in both the right and left upper extremities. Supporting documentation should include findings such as "blue toe syndrome" of the fingers, livedo reticularis, or evidence of microemboli on imaging or biopsy, specifically noted as bilateral in the upper limbs.

• Ensure the documentation explicitly states "bilateral upper extremities" to support this specific code.
• Distinguish from other embolic events (e.g., cardiogenic emboli) which would require different codes.
• Code any underlying atherosclerotic disease (e.g., I70.2-) as a secondary diagnosis.