L89.203

Billable

Pressure ulcer of unspecified hip, stage 3

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 381 — Pressure Ulcer of Skin, Unstageable/Unspecified

0.000

V24HCC 158 — Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Full Thickness Skin Loss

0.662

ESRDHCC 158 — Pressure Ulcer of Skin with Full Thickness Skin Loss

0.000

What This Code Means

A stage 3 pressure ulcer on the hip where the skin and underlying tissue are significantly damaged, creating a deep crater-like wound.

Coding Tips

•Stage 3 represents full-thickness skin loss; document depth, presence of undermining, tunneling, and any drainage characteristics
•Specify laterality (left or right hip) to ensure accurate coding

Clinical Significance

Stage 3 pressure ulcers of the unspecified hip involve full-thickness skin loss at a major weight-bearing bony prominence. These deep crater-like wounds complicate patient mobility and positioning. The clinical significance is compounded by the proximity to the hip joint, which creates risk for deep tissue infection and osteomyelitis of the femoral head or greater trochanter.

Documentation Requirements

✓Anatomical location specified as hip (query for laterality)
✓Stage explicitly documented as stage 3
✓Complete wound dimensions including depth
✓Wound bed description and tissue types present
✓Undermining or tunneling measurements
✓Drainage assessment
✓Signs of infection or deep tissue involvement
✓Wound care treatment plan
✓Nutritional assessment

Commonly Confused Codes

L89.213 — Stage 3 right hip; use when right side is documented L89.223 — Stage 3 left hip; use when left side is documented L89.204 — Stage 4 unspecified hip; bone, muscle, or tendon is exposed L89.202 — Stage 2 unspecified hip; partial-thickness only

Code Hierarchy

└L89Pressure ulcer └L89.2Pressure ulcer of hip └L89.20Pressure ulcer of unspecified hip └L89.203Pressure ulcer of unspecified hip, stage 3

└L89.203Pressure ulcer of unspecified hip, stage 3