2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code Q16.1Congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external)

ICD-10-CM Codes›Q00-Q99›Q10-Q18›Q16

ICD-10-CM Q16.1
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

Q16.1 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external). 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. The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face, neck.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
Q16.1
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external)
Short Description
Congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal
Parent Code
Q16
Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing

Code Classification

ChapterQ00-Q99Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
SectionQ10-Q18Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck
CategoryQ16Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing
This CodeQ16.1Congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external)

Present on Admission (POA)Billing

Q16.1 is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Absence of ear canal
  • Aplasia of external auditory canal
  • Bilateral congenital atresia of external ears
  • Bilateral congenital malformation of external ears
  • Bilateral congenital stenosis of external auditory canals
  • Congenital absence of auricle with atresia of auditory canal
  • Congenital absence of auricle with stenosis of auditory canal
  • Congenital absence of external auditory canal
  • Congenital absence of external ear
  • Congenital anomaly of internal auditory canal
  • Congenital atresia of external auditory canal
  • Congenital atresia of left external ear
  • Congenital atresia of osseous meatus of middle ear
  • Congenital atresia of right external ear
  • Congenital stenosis of external auditory canal
  • Congenital stenosis of left external auditory canal
  • Congenital stenosis of right external auditory canal
  • Congenital stricture of external auditory canal
  • Congenital stricture of osseous meatus
  • Congenital stricture of osseous meatus of middle ear
  • Congenital vertical talus
  • Cooper Jabs syndrome
  • External auditory canal atresia, vertical talus, hypertelorism syndrome
  • Hypertelorism
  • Lesion of bilateral external ear canals
  • Persistent dislocation of joint
  • Rigid flat foot
  • Short stature, auditory canal atresia, mandibular hypoplasia, skeletal anomalies syndrome
  • X-linked external auditory canal atresia, dilated internal auditory canal, facial dysmorphism syndrome

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Congenital atresia or stricture of osseous meatus

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Absence(of) (organ or part) (complete or partial)
      • auditory canal (congenital) (external)
    • Agenesis
      • auditory (canal) (external)
    • Agenesis
      • osseous meatus (ear)
    • Anomaly, anomalous(congenital) (unspecified type)
      • osseous meatus (ear)
    • Atresia, atretic
      • auditory canal (external)
    • Atresia, atretic
      • ear canal
    • Atresia, atretic
      • osseous meatus (ear)
    • Fusion, fused(congenital)
      • auditory canal
    • Malformation(congenital)
      • ear
        • external
          • causing impairment of hearing
            • absence of
              • auditory canal
    • Stenosis, stenotic(cicatricial)
      • external ear canal (acquired)
        • congenital
    • Stricture
      • ear canal (external) (congenital)
    • Stricture
      • meatus
        • ear (congenital)
    • Stricture
      • meatus
        • osseous (ear) (congenital)
    • Stricture
      • osseous meatus (ear) (congenital)

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR MAL005
Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face, neck
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Hypertelorism

    abnormal increase in the interorbital distance due to overdevelopment of the lesser wings of the sphenoid.

Patient EducationClinical

Birth Defects

A birth defect is a problem that happens while a baby is developing in the mother's body. Most birth defects happen during the first 3 months of pregnancy. One out of every 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect.

The full article covers:

  • What are birth defects?
  • What causes birth defects?
  • Who is at risk of having a baby with birth defects?
  • How are birth defects diagnosed?
  • What are the treatments for birth defects?
  • Can birth defects be prevented?

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert Q16.1 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
744.02 Ex ear anm NEC-impr hear
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 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About Q16.1Overview

Is Q16.1 a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external) on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does Q16.1 group to?

When congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external) is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 154, 155, 156, with relative weights from 0.6911 to 1.5635 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is Q16.1 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 congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external) on inpatient claims.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of Q16.1?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external) converts to ICD-9-CM 744.02 (ex ear anm NEC-impr hear). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Chronic - a chronic condition code indicates a condition lasting 12 months or longer and its effect on the patient based on one or both of the following criteria:

  • The condition results in the need for ongoing intervention with medical products,treatment, services, and special equipment
  • The condition places limitations on self-care, independent living, and social interactions.