Cochlear otosclerosis

This code signifies a specific type of otosclerosis affecting the cochlea, the snail-shaped part of the inner ear responsible for hearing. It involves abnormal bone growth within the cochlear capsule, leading to progressive sensorineural hearing loss. This condition is distinct from stapedial otosclerosis, which primarily affects the stapes bone.

Use this code when documentation explicitly states cochlear otosclerosis as the cause of hearing impairment. This diagnosis is typically supported by audiometric findings demonstrating sensorineural hearing loss and imaging studies (e.g., CT scan) confirming cochlear involvement. It's appropriate for cases where the otosclerotic process is localized to or predominantly affects the cochlea.

• Differentiate carefully from stapedial otosclerosis, which involves the footplate of the stapes and typically presents with conductive hearing loss.
• Ensure documentation specifies "cochlear" to support this code; general otosclerosis without this specificity may require a different code.
• Consider sequencing this code with codes for associated hearing loss (e.g., 389.1x for sensorineural hearing loss) if not inherently captured by the otosclerosis code itself.