Q16.1 Congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external)
Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026. Exempt from present-on-admission (POA) reporting.
Applicable to
- Congenital atresia or stricture of osseous meatus
Applies from Q16 Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing
Excludes1 (never code together)
- congenital deafness (H90.-)
MS-DRG index
Defines the logic of DRG(s) 154-156 in MDC 03.
Approximate ICD-9-CM (GEMs)
744.02 Other anomalies of external ear with impairment of hearing (approximate)
Code annotations containing back-references to Q16.1
Back-references to Q16.1
- Type 1 Excludes:
Q17 Other congenital malformations of ear ("congenital malformations of ear with impairment of hearing (Q16.0-Q16.9)")
Diagnosis Index entries for Q16.1
- 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)
Nearby codes
Q16 Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearingQ16.0 Congenital absence of (ear) auricleQ16.1 Congenital absence, atresia and stricture of auditory canal (external) (this code)Q16.2 Absence of eustachian tubeQ16.3 Congenital malformation of ear ossiclesQ16.4 Other congenital malformations of middle earQ16.5 Congenital malformation of inner earQ16.9 Congenital malformation of ear causing impairment of hearing, unspecified