Alphabetic Index FY2027

L98.44

Non-pressure chronic ulcer of chest

FY2027Chapter 12: Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue/L80–L99 Other disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue

Non-billable headerNot valid on its own. Use one of the more specific codes under it.

L98.44 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM code header for non-pressure chronic ulcer of chest. Report a more specific code from it instead. It is part of the FY2027 code set, effective October 1, 2026. The more specific codes under it are L98.441 Non-pressure chronic ulcer of chest limited to breakdown of skin, L98.442 Non-pressure chronic ulcer of chest with fat layer exposed, L98.443 Non-pressure chronic ulcer of chest with necrosis of muscle, L98.444 Non-pressure chronic ulcer of chest with necrosis of bone and 4 more. Its coding notes include 16 Excludes2 entries.

Guidelines tip

From the FY2027 Official Guidelines. ICD10Ref adds no rules of its own.

A non-pressure ulcer described as healing is coded from the documentation. If the severity is not documented, the unspecified-severity code is assigned.

Guidelines I.C.12.b.2Non-pressure chronic ulcersRead the official text

Excludes2

Not included here. Both codes may be reported if the patient has both conditions.

Inherited from L98.4 Non-pressure chronic ulcer of skin, not elsewhere classified
  • pressure ulcer (pressure area) (L89.-)
  • gangrene (I96)
  • skin infections (L00-L08)
  • specific infections classified to A00-B99
  • ulcer of lower limb NEC (L97.-)
  • varicose ulcer (I83.0-I83.93)
Also from chapter/block level (10 notes)
Inherited from Chapter 12 Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
  • complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
  • congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
  • endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
  • lipomelanotic reticulosis (I89.8)
  • neoplasms (C00-D49)
  • symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
  • systemic connective tissue disorders (M30-M36)
  • viral warts (B07.-)

More specific codes under L98.44 8