L97.319
BillableNon-pressure chronic ulcer of right ankle with unspecified 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 ankle that is not caused by pressure, but the severity level is not specified in the medical record.
Coding Tips
- •Use this code only when severity cannot be determined from documentation; query provider for more specific severity information when possible
- •This is a less specific code; attempt to obtain clarification on ulcer depth and tissue involvement
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. While the severity is unspecified, the presence of any chronic non-pressure ulcer at this site is clinically meaningful and should prompt query for specificity to ensure accurate severity capture.
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
- ✓Query provider for specific depth and tissue involvement to improve code specificity
- ✓Document why severity could not be determined if assessment was limited
Commonly Confused Codes
L97.311 — limited to breakdown of skin; skin breakdown only — no deeper tissue involvementL97.318 — other specified severity; severity documented but not fitting standard categoriesL89.5- — Pressure ulcer codes; use only when ulcer is caused by sustained pressure, not vascular or other non-pressure etiology