L97.313

Billable

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right ankle 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 open sore on the right ankle (not from pressure) where the muscle tissue has died and deteriorated.

Coding Tips

•Confirm right ankle laterality and explicit documentation of muscle necrosis before assigning this code
•This represents significant tissue damage; consider wound care complexity and potential complications in documentation

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. The presence of muscle necrosis indicates severe tissue destruction extending well beyond skin layers, often requiring surgical debridement and signaling significant vascular compromise or uncontrolled systemic disease.

Documentation Requirements

✓Ulcer site documented as right ankle 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
✓Documentation of necrotic muscle tissue within the wound bed
✓Clinical or pathological confirmation of muscle necrosis (not just muscle exposure)
✓Wound measurements and staging consistent with deep tissue destruction
✓Treatment plan addressing debridement of necrotic muscle tissue

Commonly Confused Codes

L97.315 — muscle involvement without necrosis; muscle exposed but viable, no necrosis L97.314 — necrosis of bone; bone tissue death — most severe L89.5- — 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 └L97.3Non-pressure chronic ulcer of ankle └L97.31Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right ankle └L97.313Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right ankle with necrosis of muscle

└L97.313Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right ankle with necrosis of muscle