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  3. H60–H95
  4. H65-H75
  5. Suppurative and unspecified otitis media (H66)

Suppurative and unspecified otitis media (H66)

The ICD-10 code H66 category covers various forms of suppurative and unspecified otitis media, including both acute and chronic infections of the middle ear. These codes specify detailed conditions such as whether the infection is acute or chronic, the presence of ear drum rupture, and laterality (right, left, bilateral, or unspecified ear), helping healthcare professionals accurately document and classify ear infections.

The codes range from H66.0 for acute suppurative otitis media; sometimes described as "acute exudative otitis media" or "Gradenigo's syndrome"; to chronic forms such as H66.1 (chronic tubotympanic suppurative otitis media) which includes conditions like "chronic eustachian tube salpingitis." Codes like H66.011 and H66.012 specify acute infections with spontaneous ear drum rupture, often called "rupture of tympanic membrane due to otitis media." Similarly, chronic variants include distinctions for right or left ears and recurrent conditions. Coders should reference synonyms to resolve diagnoses related to terms like "recurrent acute suppurative otitis media" or "purulent otitis media" to the appropriate ICD-10 code.

  • Diseases of the ear and mastoid process (H60–H95)

    • Diseases of middle ear and mastoid (H65-H75)

        • Suppurative and unspecified otitis media (H66)

        • H66 Suppurative and unspecified otitis media
        • H66.0 Acute suppurative otitis media
        • H66.00 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum
        • H66.001 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum, right ear
        • H66.002 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum, left ear
        • H66.003 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum, bilateral
        • H66.004 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum, recurrent, right ear
        • H66.005 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum, recurrent, left ear
        • H66.006 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum, recurrent, bilateral
        • H66.007 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum, recurrent, unspecified ear
        • H66.009 Acute suppurative otitis media without spontaneous rupture of ear drum, unspecified ear
        • H66.01 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum
        • H66.011 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum, right ear
        • H66.012 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum, left ear
        • H66.013 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum, bilateral
        • H66.014 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum, recurrent, right ear
        • H66.015 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum, recurrent, left ear
        • H66.016 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum, recurrent, bilateral
        • H66.017 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum, recurrent, unspecified ear
        • H66.019 Acute suppurative otitis media with spontaneous rupture of ear drum, unspecified ear
        • H66.1 Chronic tubotympanic suppurative otitis media
        • H66.10 Chronic tubotympanic suppurative otitis media, unspecified
        • H66.11 Chronic tubotympanic suppurative otitis media, right ear
        • H66.12 Chronic tubotympanic suppurative otitis media, left ear
        • H66.13 Chronic tubotympanic suppurative otitis media, bilateral
        • H66.2 Chronic atticoantral suppurative otitis media
        • H66.20 Chronic atticoantral suppurative otitis media, unspecified ear
        • H66.21 Chronic atticoantral suppurative otitis media, right ear
        • H66.22 Chronic atticoantral suppurative otitis media, left ear
        • H66.23 Chronic atticoantral suppurative otitis media, bilateral
        • H66.3 Other chronic suppurative otitis media
        • H66.3X Other chronic suppurative otitis media
        • H66.3X1 Other chronic suppurative otitis media, right ear
        • H66.3X2 Other chronic suppurative otitis media, left ear
        • H66.3X3 Other chronic suppurative otitis media, bilateral
        • H66.3X9 Other chronic suppurative otitis media, unspecified ear
        • H66.4 Suppurative otitis media, unspecified
        • H66.40 Suppurative otitis media, unspecified, unspecified ear
        • H66.41 Suppurative otitis media, unspecified, right ear
        • H66.42 Suppurative otitis media, unspecified, left ear
        • H66.43 Suppurative otitis media, unspecified, bilateral
        • H66.9 Otitis media, unspecified
        • H66.90 Otitis media, unspecified, unspecified ear
        • H66.91 Otitis media, unspecified, right ear
        • H66.92 Otitis media, unspecified, left ear
        • H66.93 Otitis media, unspecified, bilateral

Instructional Notations

Includes

This note appears immediately under a three character code title to further define, or give examples of, the content of the category.

  • suppurative and unspecified otitis media with myringitis

Use Additional Code

The “use additional code” indicates that a secondary code could be used to further specify the patient’s condition. This note is not mandatory and is only used if enough information is available to assign an additional code.

  • code to identify:
  • exposure to environmental tobacco smoke Z77.22
  • exposure to tobacco smoke in the perinatal period P96.81
  • history of tobacco dependence Z87.891
  • occupational exposure to environmental tobacco smoke Z57.31
  • tobacco dependence F17
  • tobacco use Z72.0

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)

Labyrinthitis

Inflammation of the inner ear (LABYRINTH).

Otitis

Inflammation of the ear, which may be marked by pain (EARACHE), fever, HEARING DISORDERS, and VERTIGO. Inflammation of the external ear is OTITIS EXTERNA; of the middle ear, OTITIS MEDIA; of the inner ear, LABYRINTHITIS.

Otitis Externa

Inflammation of the OUTER EAR including the external EAR CANAL, cartilages of the auricle (EAR CARTILAGE), and the TYMPANIC MEMBRANE.

Otitis Media

Inflammation of the MIDDLE EAR including the AUDITORY OSSICLES and the EUSTACHIAN TUBE.

Otitis Media with Effusion

Inflammation of the middle ear with a clear pale yellow-colored transudate.

Otitis Media, Suppurative

Inflammation of the middle ear with purulent discharge.