Injury to unspecified blood vessel of abdomen and pelvis

This code signifies an injury to a blood vessel within the abdominal or pelvic region where the specific vessel involved is not identified. It indicates trauma to the vascular system in these body areas without further anatomical detail.

Use this code when medical records document a blood vessel injury in the abdomen or pelvis, but the physician's documentation does not specify which particular vessel (e.g., aorta, vena cava, iliac artery/vein). This is often seen in initial assessments of severe blunt or penetrating trauma before definitive diagnostic imaging or surgical exploration.

• Avoid using this code if a more specific blood vessel injury is documented (e.g., splenic artery laceration).
• Always review operative reports, imaging results, and physician notes for greater specificity before defaulting to an unspecified code.
• Sequence this code after the primary injury (e.g., open wound of abdomen) if applicable, following ICD-9-CM sequencing guidelines for multiple injuries.