2027 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 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

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 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) 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 the other POA exempt codes in Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck (Q10-Q18).

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 pinna
  • Congenital anomaly of internal auditory canal
  • Congenital atresia of external auditory canal
  • Congenital atresia of external ear
  • 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

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to Q16.1: its own notes plus those printed at Q16, block Q10-Q18, and Chapter 17. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Applicable To

Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.

  • Congenital atresia or stricture of osseous meatus

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

From Q16 Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing applies to 7 codes
  • congenital deafness (H90.-)

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 Block Q10-Q18 Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck applies to 62 codes
  • cleft lip and cleft palate (Q35-Q37)
  • congenital malformation of cervical spine (Q05.0, Q05.5, Q67.5, Q76.0-Q76.4)
  • congenital malformation of larynx (Q31.-)
  • congenital malformation of lip NEC (Q38.0)
  • congenital malformation of nose (Q30.-)
  • congenital malformation of parathyroid gland (Q89.2)
  • congenital malformation of thyroid gland (Q89.2)
From Chapter 17 (Q00-QA1) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities applies to 900 codes
  • inborn errors of metabolism (E70-E88)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 17 (Q00-QA1) Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities applies to 900 codes
  • Codes from this chapter are not for use on maternal records

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name Q16.1, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming Q16.1: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • Q17 Other congenital malformations of ear
    congenital malformations of ear with impairment of hearing (Q16.0-Q16.9) names Q16.0-Q16.9, which includes this code

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

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

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 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About Q16.1Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external)?

The ICD-10-CM code for congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external) is Q16.1 (sometimes written as Q161). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

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, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

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 156, 155, 154, with relative weights from 0.6656 to 1.5916 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. The code appears in the Congenital malformations of eye, ear, face and neck (Q10-Q18) range of the CMS exempt list.

Can Q16.1 be reported with a code from H90?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at Q16, which applies to Q16.1, lists "congenital deafness (H90.-)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).