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H71.90

Billable

Unspecified cholesteatoma, unspecified ear

This code does not map to an HCC category in any model (V28, V24, ESRD, RxHCC).

What This Code Means

Cholesteatoma is an abnormal growth of skin cells in the middle ear that can damage hearing bones and surrounding structures. This code is used when the specific location (left, right, or both ears) and type of cholesteatoma are not documented.

Coding Tips

  • •Query the provider to determine the specific ear affected (right H71.91, left H71.92, or bilateral H71.93) as this improves specificity and may affect treatment planning
  • •If the cholesteatoma is congenital versus acquired, document this distinction as it may be coded separately (H71.0x for congenital vs H71.1x-H71.2x for acquired)

Code Hierarchy

└H71Cholesteatoma of middle ear└H71.9Unspecified cholesteatoma└H71.90Unspecified cholesteatoma, unspecified ear
└H71.90Unspecified cholesteatoma, unspecified ear

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