Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing (Q16) ICD-10-CM
The Q16 code range covers congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing with 8 ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes. 7 of them are billable and valid for claim submission in fiscal year 2026, and the category headers group them but cannot themselves be billed.
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
Codes in the Q16 Range 8 codes · 7 billable
- Q16 Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearingNon-billable
- Q16.0 Congenital absence of (ear) auricle
- Q16.1 Congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external)
- Q16.2 Absence of eustachian tube
- Q16.3 Congenital malformation of ear ossicles
- Q16.4 Other congenital malformations of middle ear
- Q16.5 Congenital malformation of inner ear
- Q16.9 Congenital malformation of ear causing impairment of hearing, unspecified
Clinical Terms in This Code Range
Definitions from the National Library of Medicine for conditions coded in the Q16 range.
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.
About the Q16 Code Range
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.
Questions About This Page
How many billable codes are in the Q16 range?
Of the 8 codes in this range, 7 are billable and valid for claim submission from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. Category header codes group them but cannot be reported on claims.
What does the Q16 range classify?
The range classifies congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing. Each code links to its own reference page with billing status, MS-DRG grouping, coding notes, and clinical information.
Related References
Source: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM Tabular List and order file, effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
