L97.218
BillableNon-pressure chronic ulcer of right calf with other specified severity
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 383 — Diabetic Skin Ulcer and Severe Skin Conditions
0.517V24HCC 161 — Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure
0.426ESRDHCC 161 — Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure
0.000RxHCCHCC 311 — Diabetic and Chronic Skin Ulcer
0.000What This Code Means
A long-lasting open sore on the right calf that is not caused by pressure, with a severity level that is specifically documented but not fitting standard categories.
Coding Tips
- •Use only when right calf severity is documented but doesn't match codes 1-7
- •Ensure clear documentation of the specific severity characteristics
Clinical Significance
Non-pressure chronic ulcers of the lower extremity are significant indicators of underlying vascular disease, diabetes, or other systemic conditions that impair wound healing. This code is used when the severity is specifically documented but does not fit the standard depth categories, capturing atypical presentations that still require risk-adjusted resource allocation.
Documentation Requirements
- ✓Ulcer site documented as right calf with clear laterality (right side)
- ✓Confirmation that the ulcer is chronic (present for extended duration, not acute)
- ✓Etiology documented as non-pressure (e.g., venous stasis, arterial insufficiency, diabetic, or other non-pressure cause)
- ✓Clinical assessment of wound depth and tissue involvement
- ✓Specific documentation of the ulcer severity that does not fit standard depth categories
- ✓Clear description of wound characteristics justifying 'other specified' classification
Commonly Confused Codes
L97.215 — muscle involvement without necrosis; muscle exposed but viable, no necrosisL97.216 — bone involvement without necrosis; bone exposed but viable, no necrosisL97.118 — left calf; verify laterality before selecting codeL89.- — Pressure ulcer codes; use only when ulcer is caused by sustained pressure, not vascular or other non-pressure etiology
Code Hierarchy
└L97Non-pressure chronic ulcer of lower limb, not elsewhere classified└L97.2Non-pressure chronic ulcer of calf└L97.21Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right calf└L97.218Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right calf with other specified severity
└L97.218Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right calf with other specified severity