2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Q44.4Choledochal cyst

ICD-10-CM Codes›Q00-Q99›Q38-Q45›Q44

ICD-10-CM Q44.4
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

Q44.4 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for choledochal cyst. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 441 through 443. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 10 closely related codes. The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Digestive congenital anomalies.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Q44.4
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Choledochal cyst
Short Description
Choledochal cyst
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Q44
Congenital malformations of gallbladder, bile ducts and liver

Code Classification

ChapterQ00-Q99Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
SectionQ38-Q45Other congenital malformations of the digestive system
CategoryQ44Congenital malformations of gallbladder, bile ducts and liver
This CodeQ44.4Choledochal cyst

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Q44.4 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review the other POA exempt codes in Other congenital malformations of the digestive system (Q38-Q45).

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Choledochal cyst
  • Choledochocele
  • Congenital choledochal cyst
  • Congenital cystic dilatation of common bile duct
  • Congenital dilatation of common bile duct
  • Cystic dilatation of common bile duct

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to Q44.4: its own notes plus those printed at Chapter 17. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Chapter 17 (Q00-QA1) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities applies to 900 codes
  • inborn errors of metabolism (E70-E88)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 17 (Q00-QA1) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities applies to 900 codes
  • Codes from this chapter are not for use on maternal records

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR MAL002
Digestive congenital anomalies
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Choledochal Cyst

    a congenital anatomic malformation of a bile duct, including cystic dilatation of the extrahepatic bile duct or the large intrahepatic bile duct. classification is based on the site and type of dilatation. type i is most common.

Patient EducationClinical

Bile Duct Diseases

Your liver makes a digestive juice called bile. Your gallbladder stores it between meals. When you eat, your gallbladder pushes the bile into tubes called bile ducts. They carry the bile to your small intestine. The bile helps break down fat. It also helps the liver get rid of toxins and wastes.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert Q44.4 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
751.69 Biliary & liver anom NEC
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About Q44.4Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for choledochal cyst?

The ICD-10-CM code for choledochal cyst is Q44.4 (sometimes written as Q444). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is Q44.4 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report choledochal cyst on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does Q44.4 group to?

When choledochal cyst is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 442, 441, 443, with relative weights from 0.6890 to 1.8226 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is Q44.4 a CC or MCC?

CMS lists Q44.4 as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 10 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

Is Q44.4 exempt from POA reporting?

Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for choledochal cyst on inpatient claims. The code appears in the Other congenital malformations of the digestive system (Q38-Q45) range of the CMS exempt list.