ICD-10 Code I97.821 – Postprocedural cerebrovascular infarction following other surgery (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code I97.821 – Postprocedural cerebrovascular infarction following other surgery
What it is
This code identifies a cerebrovascular infarction that occurs after a procedure or surgery other than the specific categories named elsewhere in ICD-10-CM. Use it when the stroke is documented as a postoperative complication.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Typical findings of infarction may include sudden focal neurologic deficit, speech difficulty, weakness, or imaging evidence of ischemic brain injury after surgery.
When to use this code
Use I97.821 when the provider documents a cerebrovascular infarction as caused by a recent surgical procedure and the surgery is not one of the excluded procedure types. The record should clearly link the infarction to the postoperative period. If the note only says “stroke” without a postoperative cause, check documentation.
Do not use for
Do not use this code for preexisting stroke, transient ischemic attack, or infarction unrelated to surgery. Also avoid it when the complication is tied to a more specific postoperative cerebrovascular code; check documentation.
Coding tip
Confirm the operative note and complication documentation establish a postoperative cause before assigning I97.821.