L97.103

Billable

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified thigh with necrosis of muscle

HCC Category Mapping

V28HCC 380 — Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure

0.426

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 penetrated deep enough to cause death of muscle tissue.

Coding Tips

•This code indicates severe ulcer with muscle necrosis; document evidence of muscle tissue death in clinical notes
•Distinguish from L97.105 which indicates muscle involvement without necrosis

Clinical Significance

A non-pressure chronic ulcer of the unspecified thigh with necrosis of muscle represents a deep, non-healing wound involving structures beyond the subcutaneous tissue. These ulcers typically result from peripheral vascular disease, venous insufficiency, or other systemic conditions, and indicate significant tissue destruction requiring complex wound management. Deep non-pressure chronic ulcers map to V28 HCC 380 (Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure) with a RAF of 0.426, reflecting the substantial clinical resources needed for management.

Documentation Requirements

✓Exact anatomical location with laterality (right, left, or bilateral thigh)
✓Etiology of the ulcer (venous insufficiency, peripheral arterial disease, neuropathic, post-traumatic, other)
✓Wound dimensions: length x width x depth in centimeters
✓Documentation of involved structures (muscle, bone, tendon) with or without necrosis
✓Wound bed description including percentage of granulation, slough, eschar, and necrotic tissue
✓Presence of undermining, tunneling, or sinus tracts with measurements
✓Vascular assessment results (ankle-brachial index, duplex ultrasound)
✓Current wound care plan including debridement method, dressing type, and frequency
✓Signs of infection (cellulitis, osteomyelitis, positive wound cultures)
✓Chronicity documentation — duration of wound and treatment history
✓Contributing comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, malnutrition)

Commonly Confused Codes

L97.113 — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right thigh, same severity; assign when laterality is documented as right L97.123 — Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left thigh, same severity; assign when laterality is documented as left L89.893 — 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 └L97.103Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified thigh with necrosis of muscle

└L97.103Non-pressure chronic ulcer of unspecified thigh with necrosis of muscle