L97.318

Billable

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right ankle with other specified severity

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 open sore on the right ankle that is not caused by pressure, with other specific severity characteristics not listed in standard categories.

Coding Tips

•Use this code only when the ulcer severity does not fit into the standard categories (skin breakdown, fat exposure, muscle necrosis, bone necrosis, or muscle involvement)
•Document the specific severity characteristics in detail to justify use of this code

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 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
✓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

L97.315 — muscle involvement without necrosis; muscle exposed but viable, no necrosis L97.316 — bone involvement without necrosis; bone exposed but viable, no necrosis 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 └L97.318Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right ankle with other specified severity

└L97.318Non-pressure chronic ulcer of right ankle with other specified severity