2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H60.40Cholesteatoma of external ear, unspecified ear
ICD-10-CM Codes›H60–H95›H60-H62›H60
- Billable — Valid for Submission
- Chronic Condition
H60.40 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cholesteatoma of external ear, unspecified ear. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 154 through 156. Coders also document this condition as cholesteatoma of external ear. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Other specified and unspecified disorders of the ear.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Cholesteatoma of external ear
- Keratosis obturans of external ear canal
Instructional NotesGuidance
Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H60.40: its own notes plus those printed at H60.4 and Chapter 8. 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.
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
Notes
General instructions on how these codes are used.
- Use an external cause code following the code for the ear condition, if applicable, to identify the cause of the ear condition
Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.
Referenced in Other NotesGuidance
Instructional notes printed at other codes that name H60.40, its category, or a range that includes it.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Clinical InformationClinical
Otitis Externa
inflammation of the outer ear including the external ear canal, cartilages of the auricle (ear cartilage), and the tympanic membrane.
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 H60.40 to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About H60.40Overview
What is the ICD-10 code for cholesteatoma of external ear, unspecified ear?
The ICD-10-CM code for cholesteatoma of external ear, unspecified ear is H60.40 (sometimes written as H6040). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
Is H60.40 (Cholesteatoma of external ear) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report cholesteatoma of external ear, unspecified ear on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.
What MS-DRG does H60.40 group to?
When cholesteatoma of external ear, unspecified ear is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 156, 155, 154, with relative weights from 0.6656 to 1.5916 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of H60.40?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, cholesteatoma of external ear, unspecified ear converts to ICD-9-CM 380.21 (cholesteatoma extern ear). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
