L97.101

Billable

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified thigh limited to breakdown of skin

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 383 — Diabetic Skin Ulcer and Severe Skin Conditions

0.517

V24HCC 161 — Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure

0.426

ESRDHCC 161 — Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure

0.000

RxHCCHCC 311 — Diabetic and Chronic Skin Ulcer

0.000

What This Code Means

A long-lasting, non-pressure-related wound on the thigh that has only damaged the outer layer of skin without deeper tissue involvement.

Coding Tips

•This code indicates the least severe stage of non-pressure ulcer with only epidermis and dermis affected
•Verify the ulcer is not pressure-related and confirm it is on the thigh (not buttock or other location)

Clinical Significance

A non-pressure chronic ulcer of the unspecified thigh with skin breakdown only represents a non-healing wound that has not progressed to deeper tissue involvement. These ulcers typically arise from venous insufficiency, arterial disease, or other chronic conditions, and require ongoing wound management to prevent progression to deeper stages. Under V28, superficial non-pressure chronic ulcers map to HCC 383 (Severe Skin Burn or Condition) with a RAF of 0.517, while V24 maps to HCC 161 (RAF 0.426).

Documentation Requirements

✓Exact anatomical location with laterality (right, left, or bilateral thigh)
✓Etiology of the ulcer (venous insufficiency, peripheral arterial disease, neuropathic, post-traumatic)
✓Wound dimensions: length x width in centimeters
✓Wound bed description (granulation tissue, slough, drainage characteristics)
✓Depth documentation confirming involvement limited to skin or fat layer
✓Chronicity documentation — how long the wound has been present
✓Vascular assessment if applicable (ankle-brachial index, pulse assessment)
✓Current wound care plan (cleansing, dressing type, compression if venous)
✓Assessment for signs of infection
✓Contributing comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, venous insufficiency)

Commonly Confused Codes

L97.111 — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right thigh, same severity; assign when laterality is documented as right L97.121 — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh, same severity; assign when laterality is documented as left L89.891 — Pressure ulcer of other site requires pressure as the etiology, not vascular or other causes L97.9xx — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified site should not be used for thigh when thigh is documented

Code Hierarchy

└L97Non-pressure chronic ulcer of lower limb, not elsewhere classified └L97.1Non-pressure chronic ulcer of thigh └L97.10Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified thigh └L97.101Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified thigh limited to breakdown of skin

└L97.101Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified thigh limited to breakdown of skin