Chondritis of left external ear

This code identifies inflammation of the cartilage of the left external ear. It specifically refers to chondritis affecting the auricle or pinna on the patient's left side, without specifying an infectious etiology.

Use this code when documentation clearly indicates inflammation of the cartilage of the left outer ear. Supporting documentation would include physician notes detailing symptoms such as pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness localized to the left ear cartilage, often following trauma, infection, or systemic inflammatory conditions.

• Ensure laterality is clearly documented as "left" to support this specific code.
• Distinguish from otitis externa (H60.-) which involves the skin of the external ear canal, not primarily the cartilage.
• Look for an underlying cause (e.g., infection, trauma, autoimmune disease) which may require additional coding.