Q16.3 Congenital malformation of ear ossicles

Billable ICD-10-CM code, FY2026. Exempt from present-on-admission (POA) reporting.

Applicable to

• Congenital fusion of ear ossicles

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)

• 744.04 Anomalies of ear ossicles

Code annotations containing back-references to Q16.3

Back-references to Q16.3

• 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 Q16.3

• Absence (of) (organ or part) (complete or partial) › ear, congenital › middle, except ossicles › ossicles
• Absence (of) (organ or part) (complete or partial) › ear, congenital › ossicles
• Absence (of) (organ or part) (complete or partial) › incus (acquired) › congenital
• Accessory (congenital) › auditory ossicles
• Agenesis › incus
• Anomaly, anomalous (congenital) (unspecified type) › ear (external) › ossicles
• Anomaly, anomalous (congenital) (unspecified type) › middle ear › ossicles
• Deformity › ear (acquired) › congenital (external) › middle › ossicles
• Deformity › ear (acquired) › congenital (external) › ossicles
• Deformity › middle ear (congenital) › ossicles
• Distortion (s) (congenital) › ear (auricle) (external) › middle › ossicles
• Distortion (s) (congenital) › ossicles, ear
• Fusion, fused (congenital) › ear ossicles
• Fusion, fused (congenital) › ossicles › auditory
• Maldevelopment › middle ear › ossicles
• Maldevelopment › ossicles
• Malformation (congenital) › ear › middle › ossicles (fusion)
• Malformation (congenital) › ear › ossicles
• Malformation (congenital) › middle ear › ossicles
• Malposition › congenital › ear (auricle) (external) › ossicles
• Persistence, persistent (congenital) › arteria stapedia
• Supernumerary (congenital) › auditory ossicles
• Supernumerary (congenital) › ossicles, auditory

Nearby codes

• Q16 Congenital malformations of ear causing impairment of hearing
• 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 (this code)
• 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