2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H68.131Extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right ear

ICD-10-CM Codes›H60–H95›H65-H75›H68

ICD-10-CM H68.131
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

H68.131 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right 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 cartilaginous eustachian tube obstruction. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Diseases of middle ear and mastoid (except otitis media).

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
H68.131
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right ear
Short Description
Extrinsic cartilagenous obst of eustach tube, right ear
Parent Code
H68.13
Extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube

Code Classification

ChapterH60–H95Diseases of the ear and mastoid process
SectionH65-H75Diseases of middle ear and mastoid
CategoryH68Eustachian salpingitis and obstruction
This CodeH68.131Extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right ear

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Cartilaginous eustachian tube obstruction
  • Extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of eustachian tube
  • Extrinsic obstruction of right cartilaginous eustachian tube
  • Obstruction of right eustachian tube

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to H68.131: its own notes plus those printed at 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.

From Chapter 8 (H60-H95) Diseases of the ear and mastoid process applies to 653 codes
  • 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.

From Chapter 8 (H60-H95) Diseases of the ear and mastoid process applies to 653 codes
  • 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.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR EAR002
Diseases of middle ear and mastoid (except otitis media)
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Ear Disorders

An ear disorder is any condition that changes or harms the shape or structure of your ear. This can include abnormal ear shapes you're born with, injuries that change your ear's shape, and a growth on or in the ear.

The full article covers:

  • What is an ear disorder?
  • What causes ear disorders?
  • What are the symptoms of ear disorders?
  • How are ear disorders diagnosed?
  • How are ear disorders treated?
  • Can ear disorders be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert H68.131 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
381.63 Extrinsic eustach obstr
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 H68.131Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right ear?

The ICD-10-CM code for extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right ear is H68.131 (sometimes written as H68131). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is H68.131 (Extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right ear on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does H68.131 group to?

When extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right 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 H68.131?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube, right ear converts to ICD-9-CM 381.63 (extrinsic eustach obstr). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.