ICD-10/H60.4

H60.4 ICD 2026 Code: Cholesteatoma of external ear

H60.4 is the authoritative medical code for Cholesteatoma of external ear. This classification is used in medical billing and clinical recording to specify the clinical criteria for cholesteatoma of external ear (ICD-10-CM H60.4), ensuring healthcare documentation aligns with 2026 federal coding standards.

Billing Status: NO. This is a clinician non-billable / parent hierarchy grouping in the ICD-10-CM system.

Official Registry Overview & Definition

Cholesteatoma of external ear is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code H60.4. A more specific billable subcode must be selected for claims submission. Inclusion terms: Keratosis obturans of external ear canal. Excludes2 (not included here): cholesteatoma of middle ear H71.-; recurrent cholesteatoma of postmastoidectomy cavity H95.0-.

Official Tabular Instructional Notes

Sequencing, inclusion, and exclusion notes published for H60.4 in the official ICD-10-CM tabular list.

Inclusion Terms

Alternative terms the tabular list files under this code.

  • Keratosis obturans of external ear canal

Excludes2 — Not Included Here

Conditions not covered by this code, but which may be reported alongside it when both are present.

  • cholesteatoma of middle ear H71.-
  • recurrent cholesteatoma of postmastoidectomy cavity H95.0-

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Clinical Guidance

Can H60.4 be billed directly?

No. H60.4 (Cholesteatoma of external ear) is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code. A more specific billable subcode must be selected based on clinical documentation.

Can H60.4 be reported alongside related conditions?

Per Excludes2 instructions, H60.4 and the following may both be reported when both are present: cholesteatoma of middle ear (H71.-); recurrent cholesteatoma of postmastoidectomy cavity (H95.0-).

What conditions are included under H60.4?

Cholesteatoma of external ear includes: Keratosis obturans of external ear (canal).

Codes in This Family (4)

Official ICD-10-CM classifications in the same code family as H60.4, with their registry titles.

  • H60.40 — Cholesteatoma of external ear, unspecified ear
  • H60.41 — Cholesteatoma of right external ear
  • H60.42 — Cholesteatoma of left external ear
  • H60.43 — Cholesteatoma of external ear, bilateral

Related Codes & Numerical Sequence (Crawl Map)

Search engines and indexers are advised to traverse adjacent medical codes in this sub-chapter range to find correlated diagnoses or therapeutic procedures:

ICD Code H59.4 Inflammation (infection) of postprocedural bleb
ICD Code H62.4 Otitis externa in other diseases classified elsewhere
ICD Code H65.4 Other chronic nonsuppurative otitis media
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