ICD-10 Code H70.22 – Chronic petrositis (2026): Diagnosis, Symptoms & Billing Guide
2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code H70.22 – Chronic petrositis
What it is
Chronic petrositis is a long-lasting inflammatory or infectious process involving the petrous part of the temporal bone. Code H70.22 identifies the chronic form, so you should use it only when the documentation clearly supports persistence rather than an acute episode.
Clinical signs
Clinical features vary; refer to documentation. Standard references describe persistent ear-related pain, drainage, or complications involving adjacent structures, but the exact presentation depends on the underlying ear disease and extent of involvement.
When to use this code
Use H70.22 when the provider documents chronic petrositis, chronic petrous apex inflammation, or a chronic inflammatory process of the petrous temporal bone. It may appear in records tied to chronic otitis or skull base infection workups when the diagnosis is confirmed. If the note only says “suspected” or gives no chronicity, check documentation.
Do not use for
Do not use this code for acute petrositis or nonspecific ear infection without petrous bone involvement. If the record describes another temporal bone disorder or the site is not specified, choose the documented condition instead.
Coding tip
Confirm that “chronic” and “petrositis” are both documented before assigning H70.22.