ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code
Q38.4Congenital malformations of salivary glands and ducts
Q38.4 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for congenital malformations of salivary glands and ducts. It can be reported on claims for dates of service from October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027.
Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data
About Q38.4
Q38.4 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for congenital malformations of salivary glands and ducts. It belongs to category Q38 (other congenital malformations of tongue, mouth and pharynx), block Q38-Q45 (other congenital malformations of the digestive system) and chapter 17 (congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders). It is billable, so it can be reported on its own for dates of service from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Within Q38 (other congenital malformations of tongue, mouth and pharynx), Q38.4 is specifically for congenital malformations of salivary glands and ducts. Related codes cover congenital malformations of lips, not elsewhere classified (Q38.0), Ankyloglossia (Q38.1), Macroglossia (Q38.2), other congenital malformations of tongue (Q38.3), congenital malformations of palate, not elsewhere classified (Q38.5), other congenital malformations of mouth (Q38.6), congenital pharyngeal pouch (Q38.7) and other congenital malformations of pharynx (Q38.8).
It is not a CC or MCC, so as a secondary diagnosis it doesn't change the MS-DRG severity level.
In MS-DRG v44.0, it is part of the grouping logic for DRG 011 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with MCC, relative weight 5.6154), DRG 012 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with CC, relative weight 4.381), DRG 013 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy without CC/MCC, relative weight 2.7307), DRG 154 (Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with MCC, relative weight 1.5921), DRG 155 (Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with CC, relative weight 0.9322) and DRG 156 (Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses without CC/MCC, relative weight 0.6659), in Pre-MDC and MDC 03 (Diseases and Disorders of the Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat), as a principal or secondary diagnosis. The DRG a claim lands in depends on the principal diagnosis, procedures and any CC/MCC secondary diagnoses.
It is exempt from present-on-admission (POA) reporting, so no POA indicator is required.
It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.
Before ICD-10, this condition was coded in ICD-9-CM as 750.21 (absence of salivary gland), 750.22 (accessory salivary gland), 750.23 (atresia, salivary duct) and 1 more.
Coding notes
- Atresia of salivary glands and ducts
- Congenital absence of salivary glands and ducts
- Congenital accessory salivary glands and ducts
- Congenital fistula of salivary gland
Notes that apply from higher levels
Instructions written at a parent level also apply to Q38.4.
Broader instructions also apply from Chapter 17: Congenital malformations, deformations, chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic disorders.
Alphabetic index entries
33 entriesTerms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to Q38.4.
- Absence (of) (organ or part) (complete or partial) › salivary gland (s), congenital
- Accessory (congenital) › parotid gland (and duct)
- Accessory (congenital) › salivary gland
- Accessory (congenital) › submaxillary gland
- Agenesis › parotid gland (s)
- Agenesis › salivary gland
- Agenesis › submaxillary gland (s) (congenital)
- Anomaly, anomalous (congenital) (unspecified type) › Bartholin's duct
- Anomaly, anomalous (congenital) (unspecified type) › parotid (gland)
- Anomaly, anomalous (congenital) (unspecified type) › salivary duct or gland
- Anomaly, anomalous (congenital) (unspecified type) › stenonian duct
- Anomaly, anomalous (congenital) (unspecified type) › submaxillary gland
- Atresia, atretic › parotid duct
- Atresia, atretic › salivary duct
- Atresia, atretic › sublingual duct
- Atresia, atretic › submandibular duct
- Atresia, atretic › submaxillary duct
- Calculus, calculi, calculous › sublingual duct or gland › congenital
- Cyst (colloid) (mucous) (simple) (retention) › congenital NEC › salivary gland (any)
- Deformity › parotid (gland) (congenital)
- Deformity › salivary gland or duct (congenital)
- Deformity › submandibular gland (congenital)
- Deformity › submaxillary gland (congenital)
- Displacement, displaced › opening of Wharton's duct in mouth
- Displacement, displaced › parotid gland (congenital)
- Displacement, displaced › salivary gland (any) (congenital)
- Displacement, displaced › sublingual duct
- Duplication, duplex › salivary duct
- Fistula (cutaneous) › salivary duct or gland (any) › congenital
- Fusion, fused (congenital) › sublingual duct with submaxillary duct at opening in mouth
- Hypertrophy, hypertrophic › salivary gland (any) › congenital
- Hypoplasia, hypoplastic › parotid gland
- Ranula › congenital
Codes whose notes reference Q38.4
- K11.4Excludes1
MS-DRG v44.0 grouping
All DRGs →Inpatient MS-DRGs this diagnosis can group to, as the principal or a secondary diagnosis, depending on the rest of the claim.
MDC PRE · Pre-MDC
MDC 03 · Diseases and Disorders of the Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat
ICD-9-CM equivalent
Converter →- 750.21Absence of salivary glandapproximate
- 750.22Accessory salivary glandapproximate
- 750.23Atresia, salivary ductapproximate
- 750.24Congenital fistula of salivary glandapproximate
From the CMS 2018 General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs), the final GEMs release.
Code history
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
- 2027
- FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
- No changes since FY2016.
Common questions about Q38.4
Is Q38.4 billable?
- Yes. Q38.4 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code valid for FY2027 (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).
Can Q38.4 be used as a principal diagnosis?
- Yes. The Medicare Code Editor doesn't restrict Q38.4 as a principal diagnosis.
Is Q38.4 a CC or MCC?
- No. Q38.4 is neither a CC nor an MCC under MS-DRG v44.0.
What DRG does Q38.4 group to?
- Q38.4 is used in the MS-DRG v44.0 logic for MS-DRG 011 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with MCC), MS-DRG 012 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy with CC), MS-DRG 013 (Tracheostomy for Face, Mouth and Neck Diagnoses or Laryngectomy without CC/MCC), MS-DRG 154 (Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with MCC), MS-DRG 155 (Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses with CC) and MS-DRG 156 (Other Ear, Nose, Mouth and Throat Diagnoses without CC/MCC). Which one applies depends on whether it is the principal diagnosis and on the rest of the claim.
What is the ICD-9 code for Q38.4?
- The CMS General Equivalence Mappings map Q38.4 to ICD-9-CM 750.21, 750.22, 750.23 and 750.24.