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2025 ICD-10-CM code H60.1

Cellulitis of the external ear. This includes cellulitis of the auricle and the external auditory canal.

If applicable, use an external cause code following the code for the ear condition to identify the cause of the ear condition.Conditions such as certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96), certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99), complications of pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium (O00-O9A), congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99), endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases (E00-E88), injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88), neoplasms (C00-D49), and symptoms, signs, and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings not elsewhere classified (R00-R94) are excluded from this code.

Medical necessity for treatment is established by the presence of signs and symptoms of infection, such as redness, swelling, pain, and/or discharge from the ear. The severity of the infection may influence the choice of treatment.

Clinicians responsible for diagnosing and managing H60.1 include primary care physicians, otolaryngologists (ENT doctors), and other healthcare professionals specializing in ear conditions.Responsibilities include thorough examination, accurate diagnosis, and appropriate treatment to resolve the infection and prevent complications.

In simple words: This code represents a bacterial skin infection of the outer ear.

Cellulitis of the external ear encompasses bacterial infection affecting the skin and subcutaneous tissues of the outer ear. This can involve the auricle (pinna) and/or the external auditory canal (ear canal).

Example 1: A 35-year-old male presents with redness, swelling, and pain in his right ear after piercing his tragus.He is diagnosed with cellulitis of the auricle., A 50-year-old female with diabetes experiences itching and discharge from her left ear canal. Examination reveals swelling and tenderness of the canal, consistent with cellulitis of the external auditory canal.Her diabetes may contribute to her increased risk of infection. , A child with a history of eczema develops painful crusting and inflammation around his ear opening. It is determined he has a secondary bacterial infection of his eczema, causing cellulitis of the external ear.

Documentation should include: physical exam findings (redness, swelling, pain, discharge), location of the cellulitis (auricle, ear canal), presence of any predisposing factors (trauma, eczema), and associated symptoms (fever, lymphadenopathy).

  • Specialties:Primary Care, Otolaryngology, Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine
  • Place of Service:Office, Urgent Care Facility, Emergency Room - Hospital, Outpatient Hospital, Inpatient Hospital, Telehealth Provided in Patient’s Home, Telehealth Provided Other than in Patient’s Home
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