L97.521

Billable

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of left foot 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 foot (not from pressure) that only affects the outer layer of skin.

Coding Tips

•This represents the least severe non-pressure ulcer; confirm ulcer does not extend beyond dermis
•Verify location is 'other part' of left foot to distinguish from heel or plantar surface codes

Clinical Significance

This represents the earliest stage of non-pressure chronic ulceration, limited to epidermal/dermal disruption. While the least severe classification, it still indicates a chronic wound requiring ongoing management and signals potential for progression to deeper tissue involvement. Accurate laterality documentation (left 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 left 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)
✓Documentation that ulcer is limited to skin breakdown without deeper tissue involvement
✓Wound bed description confirming no exposed subcutaneous tissue, muscle, or bone
✓Underlying etiology or contributing factors (diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, venous insufficiency)
✓Current treatment plan including wound care regimen

Commonly Confused Codes

L97.522 — Fat layer exposed at same location; use when ulcer has progressed beyond skin to expose subcutaneous fat L97.529 — Unspecified severity at same location; skin breakdown is more specific and preferred when documented L89.xxx (Pressure ulcer codes) — Pressure ulcers use the L89 category; L97 is specifically for NON-pressure chronic ulcers L97.511 — Same severity but RIGHT side; verify laterality matches documentation 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 └L97.52Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of left foot └L97.521Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of left foot limited to breakdown of skin

└L97.521Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of left foot limited to breakdown of skin