Excludes1 pair
K56- vs K56.7
K56 and K56.7 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 K56.7
obstructive ileus (K56.69-)
K56
Paralytic ileus and intestinal obstruction without hernia
Not billable
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K55-K64
K56.7
Ileus, unspecified
BillableUnspecified
- Chapter 11
- Diseases of the digestive system
- Section
- K55-K64
Indexed under
- Ileus (bowel) (colon) (inhibitory) (intestine)
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