Excludes1 pair

T79.4- vs T88.2-

T79.4 and T88.2 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 T79.4
shock due to anesthesia (T88.2)
T79.4

Traumatic shock

Not billable
Chapter 19
Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
Section
T79
Use when the record says
  • Shock (immediate) (delayed) following injury
Indexed under
  • Feeble rapid pulse due to shock following injury
  • Decrease › respiration, due to shock following injury
  • Hypovolemia › traumatic (shock)
  • Pulse › feeble, rapid due to shock following injury
  • Rapid › feeble pulse, due to shock, following injury
T88.2

Shock due to anesthesia

Not billable
Chapter 19
Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
Section
T80-T88
Indexed under
  • Anesthesia, anesthetic › shock (due to)
  • Collapse › lung › pressure due to anesthesia or other sedation (general) (local)
  • Complication › anesthesia, anesthetic › shock
  • Shock › anesthetic › correct substance properly administered

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