ICDcodes.org
FY2027

G96.0 vs G97.0

G96.0 and G97.0 can never be reported together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note, meaning the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient — so exactly one of them is correct for any given encounter.

The official note, declared on G96.0
cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture (G97.0)
G96.0

Cerebrospinal fluid leak

Not billable
Chapter 6
Diseases of the nervous system
Section
G89-G99
G97.0

Cerebrospinal fluid leak from spinal puncture

Billable
Chapter 6
Diseases of the nervous system
Section
G89-G99
Indexed under
  • Complication › lumbar puncture › cerebrospinal fluid leak (s) (from) (of)
  • Complication › puncture, spinal › cerebrospinal fluid leak (s) (from) (of)
  • Leak, leakage › cerebrospinal fluid › from spinalpuncture
  • Complication › nervous system › postprocedural › spinal fluid leak (s) (from) (of)
  • Complication › postoperative › lumbar puncture › cerebrospinal fluid leak (s) (from) (of)

Excludes1 is not always absolute: where two conditions covered by the note are genuinely unrelated, CMS guidance permits reporting both. Document the reasoning rather than assuming it. More on Excludes1 vs Excludes2 · FY2027