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  5. Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing (Q16)

Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing (Q16)

The ICD-10 code section Q16 covers various congenital malformations of the ear that cause hearing impairment. These codes identify specific structural abnormalities present at birth, affecting different parts of the ear, from the outer auricle to the inner ear, that impact hearing ability.

This section helps medical coders and healthcare professionals classify conditions like the congenital absence of the auricle (Q16.0), also called congenital absence of external ear, and atresia or stricture of the external auditory canal (Q16.1), known by many names including congenital stenosis or absence of the ear canal. Other codes capture less common malformations such as absence of the Eustachian tube (Q16.2), malformations of the ear ossicles in the middle ear (Q16.3), other middle ear congenital anomalies (Q16.4), and inner ear malformations causing hearing loss (Q16.5), including cochleovestibular defects and labyrinth deformities. When the exact defect is unclear, Q16.9 is used for unspecified congenital ear malformations causing hearing impairment, encompassing conditions described as non-syndromic genetic hearing loss or ear anomalies with hearing loss. These specific ICD-10 codes assist in precise diagnosis and documentation of congenital ear disorders leading to hearing impairment.

Instructional Notations

Type 1 Excludes

A type 1 excludes note is a pure excludes note. It means "NOT CODED HERE!" An Excludes1 note indicates that the code excluded should never be used at the same time as the code above the Excludes1 note. An Excludes1 is used when two conditions cannot occur together, such as a congenital form versus an acquired form of the same condition.

  • congenital deafness H90

Clinical Terms

The following clinical terms provide additional context, helping users better understand the clinical background and common associations for each diagnosis listed in this section. Including related terms alongside ICD-10-CM codes supports coders, billers, and healthcare professionals in improving accuracy, enhancing documentation, and facilitating research or patient education.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Otorrhea

Discharge of cerebrospinal fluid through the external auditory meatus or through the eustachian tube into the nasopharynx. This is usually associated with CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUMA (e.g., SKULL FRACTURE involving the TEMPORAL BONE;), NEUROSURGICAL PROCEDURES; or other conditions, but may rarely occur spontaneously. (From Am J Otol 1995 Nov;16(6):765-71)

Hypertelorism

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