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ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code

H68.13Extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube

Not billable — use a more specific code

H68.13 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 4 more specific codes beneath it.

Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data

About H68.13

H68.13 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube. It belongs to category H68 (eustachian salpingitis and obstruction), block H65-H75 (diseases of middle ear and mastoid) and chapter 8 (diseases of the ear and mastoid process). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 4 subcodes must be used instead.

Within H68.1 (obstruction of Eustachian tube), H68.13 is specifically for extrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube. Related codes cover unspecified obstruction of Eustachian tube (H68.10), osseous obstruction of Eustachian tube (H68.11) and intrinsic cartilagenous obstruction of Eustachian tube (H68.12).

To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: H68.131 (right ear), H68.132 (left ear), H68.133 (bilateral) and H68.139 (unspecified ear).

It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.

Specific codes under H68.13

Coding notes

Applicable toConditions and synonyms classified to this code
  • Compression of Eustachian tube

Notes that apply from higher levels

Instructions written at a parent level also apply to H68.13.

Broader instructions also apply from Chapter 8: Diseases of the ear and mastoid process.

Alphabetic index entries

1 entries

Terms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to H68.13.

Code history

  1. 2016
  2. 2017
  3. 2018
  4. 2019
  5. 2020
  6. 2021
  7. 2022
  8. 2023
  9. 2024
  10. 2025
  11. 2026
  12. 2027
  • FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
  • No changes since FY2016.

Common questions about H68.13

Is H68.13 billable?

No. H68.13 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.