L97.504

Billable

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of unspecified foot with necrosis of bone

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 foot (not from pressure) that has damaged bone tissue, affecting an unspecified area of the foot.

Coding Tips

•Verify documentation specifies bone necrosis (death of bone tissue) to distinguish from other severity levels
•Confirm the foot location is truly unspecified; if laterality is documented, use L97.514 (right) or L97.524 (left) instead

Clinical Significance

This is one of the most severe classifications of non-pressure chronic ulcers, with bone necrosis indicating full-thickness tissue destruction reaching the skeletal level. Bone necrosis (osteonecrosis) carries high risk for osteomyelitis and may require surgical intervention including possible amputation. Accurate laterality documentation (unspecified other part of foot) is essential for proper code assignment and tracking wound progression over time.

Documentation Requirements

✓Specific anatomic location documented as other part of unspecified foot
✓Confirmation that the ulcer is non-pressure in etiology (not caused by pressure/immobility)
✓Chronicity established — ulcer present for extended duration or described as chronic
✓Current wound assessment including size (length x width x depth in centimeters)
✓Explicit documentation of bone necrosis (dead/devitalized bone tissue)
✓Imaging studies (X-ray, MRI, or bone scan) confirming bone involvement and necrosis
✓Assessment for osteomyelitis
✓Wound debridement or surgical notes if applicable
✓Underlying etiology or contributing factors (diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, venous insufficiency)
✓Current treatment plan including wound care regimen

Commonly Confused Codes

L97.506 — Bone involvement WITHOUT necrosis at same location; use when bone is exposed but viable L97.503 — Necrosis of MUSCLE at same location; use when muscle (not bone) shows necrosis L89.xxx (Pressure ulcer codes) — Pressure ulcers use the L89 category; L97 is specifically for NON-pressure chronic ulcers L97.514 — Same severity but specified as RIGHT side; use laterality-specific code when documentation supports it L97.524 — Same severity but specified as LEFT side; use laterality-specific code when documentation supports it E11.621 (Type 2 diabetes mellitus with foot ulcer) — If ulcer is due to diabetes, code the diabetic complication first and the L97 code as an additional code to specify site and severity

Code Hierarchy

└L97Non-pressure chronic ulcer of lower limb, not elsewhere classified └L97.5Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of foot └L97.50Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of unspecified foot └L97.504Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of unspecified foot with necrosis of bone

└L97.504Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of unspecified foot with necrosis of bone