FY2027
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Excludes1 pair

K83.1 vs Q44.3

K83.1 and Q44.3 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 K83.1
congenital obstruction of bile duct (Q44.3)
K83.1

Obstruction of bile duct

Billable
Chapter 11
Diseases of the digestive system
Section
K80-K87
Use when the record says
  • Occlusion of bile duct without cholelithiasis
  • Stenosis of bile duct without cholelithiasis
  • Stricture of bile duct without cholelithiasis
Indexed under
  • Cholestasis NEC
  • Mirizzi's syndrome (hepatic duct stenosis)
  • Jaundice › obstructive
  • Jaundice › regurgitation
  • Obliteration › bile duct (noncalculous)
Q44.3

Congenital stenosis and stricture of bile ducts

Billable
Chapter 17
Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
Section
Q38-Q45
Indexed under
  • Obstruction, obstructed, obstructive › bile duct or passage › congenital (causing jaundice)
  • Stenosis, stenotic › bile duct › congenital
  • Stenosis, stenotic › common duct › congenital
  • Stricture › bile duct › congenital

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