K56.0 vs K56.3
K56.0 and K56.3 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 K56.0
gallstone ileus (K56.3)
K56.0
Paralytic ileus
Billable
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K55-K64
Use when the record says
- Paralysis of bowel
- Paralysis of colon
- Paralysis of intestine
Indexed under
- Ileus › adynamic (bowel) (colon) (inhibitory) (intestine)
- Ileus › neurogenic (bowel) (colon) (inhibitory) (intestine)
- Ileus › paralytic (bowel) (colon) (inhibitory) (intestine)
- Paralysis, paralytic › bowel, colon or intestine (complete) (incomplete)
- Paralysis, paralytic › colon (complete) (incomplete)
K56.3
Gallstone ileus
Billable
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K55-K64
Use when the record says
- Obstruction of intestine by gallstone
Indexed under
- Gallstone › causing intestinal obstruction (colic) (cystic duct) (gallbladder) (impacted) (multiple)
- Ileus › due to gallstone (bowel) (colon) (inhibitory) (intestine)
- Ileus › gallstone (bowel) (colon) (inhibitory) (intestine)
- Impaction, impacted › bowel, colon, rectum › by gallstone
- Impaction, impacted › gallstone › in intestine, with obstruction
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