Q76.6 vs Q77.2
Q76.6 and Q77.2 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 Q76.6
short rib syndrome (Q77.2)
Q76.6
Other congenital malformations of ribs
Billable
- Chapter 17
- Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
- Section
- Q65-Q79
Use when the record says
- Accessory rib
- Congenital absence of rib
- Congenital fusion of ribs
- Congenital malformation of ribs NOS
Indexed under
- Accessory › rib (congenital)
- Agenesis › rib
- Anomaly, anomalous › rib (congenital) (unspecified type)
- Bifurcation › rib (congenital)
- Extra › rib
Q77.2
Short rib syndrome
Billable
- Chapter 17
- Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders
- Section
- Q65-Q79
Use when the record says
- Asphyxiating thoracic dysplasia [Jeune]
Indexed under
- Jeune's disease
- Dysplasia › asphyxiating thoracic
- Dystrophy, dystrophia › thoracic, asphyxiating
- Short, shortening, shortness › rib syndrome
- Syndrome › short › rib
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