L97.523
BillableNon-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of left foot with necrosis of muscle
HCC Category Mapping
V28HCC 380 — Chronic Ulcer of Skin, Except Pressure
0.426V24HCC 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 left foot (not from pressure) where the muscle tissue has died or deteriorated.
Coding Tips
- •Verify documentation explicitly states muscle necrosis; distinguish from L97.525 (muscle involvement without necrosis)
- •Necrosis indicates dead tissue, which is more severe than simple muscle involvement
Clinical Significance
This represents a severe non-pressure ulcer with necrotic (dead) muscle tissue, indicating significant tissue destruction and compromised vascular supply. Muscle necrosis requires aggressive wound management including debridement and may indicate systemic complications such as peripheral vascular disease or uncontrolled diabetes. 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)
- ✓Explicit documentation of muscle necrosis (dead/devitalized muscle tissue)
- ✓Clinical assessment or pathology confirming necrotic vs. viable muscle tissue
- ✓Wound debridement notes if applicable
- ✓Underlying etiology or contributing factors (diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, venous insufficiency)
- ✓Current treatment plan including wound care regimen
Commonly Confused Codes
L97.525 — Muscle involvement WITHOUT necrosis at same location; use when muscle is involved but viable (no tissue death)L97.524 — Necrosis of BONE at same location; use when bone (not just muscle) shows necrosisL97.522 — Fat layer exposed at same location; use when ulcer has not progressed to muscle depthL89.xxx (Pressure ulcer codes) — Pressure ulcers use the L89 category; L97 is specifically for NON-pressure chronic ulcersL97.513 — Same severity but RIGHT side; verify laterality matches documentationE11.621 (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└L97.523Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of left foot with necrosis of muscle
└L97.523Non-pressure chronic ulcer of other part of left foot with necrosis of muscle