In simple words: This code refers to various other problems affecting the outer ear that occur as part of another medical condition. The primary condition causing the ear problem needs to be coded first.

Other disorders of external ear in diseases classified elsewhere. Code first the underlying disease, such as gout (M1A.-, M10.-).

Example 1: A patient with gout (M10.9) presents with inflammation and pain in the external ear due to gouty tophi deposits., A patient with diabetes (E11.9) develops a fungal infection (B37.9) of the external ear., A patient with sarcoidosis (D86.9) experiences granulomatous lesions affecting the external ear.

Documentation should clearly specify the underlying disease and the specific manifestation affecting the external ear. The connection between the two conditions should be explicitly stated.

** Excludes2: 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), symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94).