Other lacunar syndromes

This code represents a group of neurological deficits resulting from small, deep infarcts in the brain, typically affecting the basal ganglia, internal capsule, thalamus, or brainstem. These infarcts are caused by occlusion of a single penetrating artery and often present with distinct clinical syndromes such as pure motor hemiparesis, pure sensory stroke, ataxic hemiparesis, or dysarthria-clumsy hand syndrome.

Use this code when documentation specifies a lacunar syndrome that does not fit the more specific categories (e.g., pure motor lacunar syndrome, pure sensory lacunar syndrome). This code is appropriate when the physician's diagnosis explicitly states "other lacunar syndrome" or describes a lacunar stroke with atypical or mixed features not covered by more specific codes. Documentation should clearly indicate a lacunar infarct and the resulting neurological deficits.

• Do not use this code if a more specific lacunar syndrome (e.g., G46.3, G46.4) is documented.
• Ensure the documentation differentiates this from other types of cerebral infarction (e.g., thrombotic, embolic) which would be coded differently.
• Consider sequencing this code after the acute cerebral infarction code (I63.-) if the lacunar syndrome is a manifestation of a recent stroke.