Excludes1 pair

K06.8 vs M27.1

K06.8 and M27.1 are not coded together. ICD-10-CM declares them mutually exclusive with an Excludes1 note — the two conditions are not expected to occur together, so exactly one of them is normally correct for a given encounter. The Official Guidelines carve out one exception: if the two conditions are clearly unrelated to each other, both may be reported.

The official note, declared on M27.1
peripheral giant cell granuloma (K06.8)
K06.8

Other specified disorders of gingiva and edentulous alveolar ridge

BillableUnspecified
Chapter 11
Diseases of the digestive system
Section
K00-K14
Use when the record says
  • Fibrous epulis
  • Flabby alveolar ridge
  • Giant cell epulis
  • Peripheral giant cell granuloma of gingiva
  • Pyogenic granuloma of gingiva
  • Vertical ridge deficiency
Indexed under
  • Epulis (gingiva) (fibrous) (giant cell)
  • Flabby ridge
  • Ulorrhagia, ulorrhea
  • Deficiency, deficient › vertical ridge
  • Deformity › gum, acquired NEC
M27.1

Giant cell granuloma, central

Billable
Chapter 13
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue
Section
M26-M27
Use when the record says
  • Giant cell granuloma NOS
Indexed under
  • Granuloma › giant cell (central) (reparative) (jaw)
  • Granuloma › jaw (bone) (central)
  • Granuloma › mandible (central)
  • Granuloma › jaw › reparative giant cell

These two codes sit in different chapters of the Tabular List, which is usually the clearest signal that they describe different underlying processes rather than different degrees of the same one.

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