L97.321

Billable

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left ankle limited to breakdown of skin

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 left ankle that is not caused by pressure, affecting only the outer layer of skin.

Coding Tips

•This represents the least severe non-pressure ulcer stage with only skin breakdown
•Confirm the ulcer is limited to epidermis and dermis without deeper 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. This code captures the least severe stage with only superficial skin breakdown, but it still signals an active chronic wound requiring ongoing management and monitoring for progression to deeper tissue involvement.

Documentation Requirements

✓Ulcer site documented as left ankle with clear laterality (left 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 that ulcer is limited to skin breakdown only — no exposure of deeper tissue layers
✓Wound measurements (length, width, depth) confirming superficial involvement
✓Assessment for signs of infection or progression beyond skin layer

Commonly Confused Codes

L97.322 — fat layer exposed; extends through dermis to subcutaneous fat L97.329 — unspecified severity; depth/severity not documented 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 └L97.32Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left ankle └L97.321Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left ankle limited to breakdown of skin

└L97.321Non-pressure chronic ulcer of left ankle limited to breakdown of skin