Q17.4 vs Q18.2
Q17.4 and Q18.2 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 Q17.4
cervical auricle (Q18.2)
Q17.4
Misplaced ear
Billable
- Chapter 17
- Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
- Section
- Q10-Q18
Use when the record says
- Low-set ears
Indexed under
- Melotia
- Displacement, displaced › auricle
- Low › set ears
- Misplaced, misplacement › ear
- Malposition › congenital › auricle
Q18.2
Other branchial cleft malformations
Billable
- Chapter 17
- Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
- Section
- Q10-Q18
Use when the record says
- Branchial cleft malformation NOS
- Cervical auricle
- Otocephaly
Indexed under
- Otocephaly
- Auricle, auricular › cervical
- Branchial › cartilage, congenital
- Cervical › auricle
- Cleft › branchial (congenital)
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