2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code A18.6Tuberculosis of (inner) (middle) ear
ICD-10-CM Codes›A00–B99›A15-A19›A18
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Not Chronic
A18.6 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for tuberculosis of (inner) (middle) ear. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 154 through 156, 974 through 976. Coders also document this condition as bilateral tuberculosis of ears. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Diseases of middle ear and mastoid (except otitis media), Other specified and unspecified disorders of the ear, and Tuberculosis.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Bilateral tuberculosis of ears
- Infection involving inner ear
- Tuberculosis of ear
- Tuberculosis of inner ear
- Tuberculosis of left ear
- Tuberculosis of middle ear
- Tuberculosis of right ear
- Tuberculous otitis media
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Inclusion Terms
- Tuberculous otitis media
Type 2 Excludes
These terms are the conditions for which that code is to be used. The terms may be synonyms of the code title, or, in the case of "other specified" codes, the terms are a list of the various conditions assigned to that code. The inclusion terms are not necessarily exhaustive. Additional terms found only in the Alphabetic Index may also be assigned to a code.
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- Otitis (acute) - H66.90
- media (hemorrhagic) (staphylococcal) (streptococcal) - H66.9
- tuberculosis - A18.6
- tuberculous - A18.6
- Tuberculosis, tubercular, tuberculous (calcification) (calcified) (caseous) (chromogenic acid-fast bacilli) (degeneration) (fibrocaseous) (fistula) (interstitial) (isolated circumscribed lesions) (necrosis) (parenchymatous) (ulcerative) - A15.9
- ear (inner) (middle) - A18.6
- eustachian tube - A18.6
- otitis media - A18.6
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Otitis(acute)
- media (hemorrhagic) (staphylococcal) (streptococcal)
- in (due to) (with)
- tuberculosis
- Otitis(acute)
- media (hemorrhagic) (staphylococcal) (streptococcal)
- tuberculous
- Tuberculosis, tubercular, tuberculous(calcification) (calcified) (caseous) (chromogenic acid-fast bacilli) (degeneration) (fibrocaseous) (fistula) (interstitial) (isolated circumscribed lesions) (necrosis) (parenchymatous) (ulcerative)
- ear (inner) (middle)
- Tuberculosis, tubercular, tuberculous(calcification) (calcified) (caseous) (chromogenic acid-fast bacilli) (degeneration) (fibrocaseous) (fistula) (interstitial) (isolated circumscribed lesions) (necrosis) (parenchymatous) (ulcerative)
- eustachian tube
- Tuberculosis, tubercular, tuberculous(calcification) (calcified) (caseous) (chromogenic acid-fast bacilli) (degeneration) (fibrocaseous) (fistula) (interstitial) (isolated circumscribed lesions) (necrosis) (parenchymatous) (ulcerative)
- otitis media
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Ear Infections
Ear infections are the most common reason parents bring their child to a doctor. Three out of four children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday. Adults can also get ear infections, but they are less common.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert A18.6 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About A18.6Overview
Is A18.6 (Tuberculosis of other organs) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report tuberculosis of (inner) (middle) ear on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What MS-DRG does A18.6 group to?
When tuberculosis of (inner) (middle) ear is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 154, 155, 156, 974, 975, 976, with relative weights from 0.6911 to 2.8860 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of A18.6?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, tuberculosis of (inner) (middle) ear converts to ICD-9-CM 017.40 (TB of ear-unspec). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
