Ototoxic hearing loss, unspecified ear

This code signifies hearing impairment resulting from damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve caused by exposure to ototoxic medications or chemicals. It represents a sensorineural hearing loss specifically attributed to drug-induced toxicity, without specifying laterality.

Apply this code when documentation clearly indicates hearing loss caused by ototoxic agents, such as certain antibiotics (e.g., aminoglycosides), chemotherapy drugs, or high-dose aspirin. This code is appropriate when the medical record does not specify whether the hearing loss affects the left, right, or both ears.

• Always seek clarification from the provider if laterality (left, right, or bilateral) is not documented, as more specific codes exist (H91.01, H91.02, H91.03).
• Do not use this code for hearing loss due to other causes (e.g., noise-induced, age-related) unless ototoxicity is explicitly stated as the etiology.
• Code the specific ototoxic drug(s) responsible for the adverse effect using an appropriate T36-T50 code, if known and documented.