2025 ICD-10-CM code L03.119
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Infections - Infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L08) Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99) Feed
Cellulitis of unspecified part of a limb.
Modifiers may be applicable depending on the circumstances and additional services performed. For instance, modifiers might be used to specify bilateral involvement or multiple sites of cellulitis.
Medical necessity is established by the presence of a bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue, causing clinical symptoms such as erythema, edema, warmth, and pain.Appropriate documentation supporting the diagnosis and treatment provided is necessary.
The clinical responsibility includes diagnosing the cellulitis, identifying the potential infectious agent (if possible), determining the severity of the infection, prescribing appropriate antibiotic therapy or other treatment strategies, and monitoring the patient's response to treatment.Surgical debridement might be indicated in severe cases.
- Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (L00-L99)
- L03.119 falls under the broader category of L03.1, which encompasses cellulitis of the limb.Further specificity is provided by the additional digits.
In simple words: This code describes a bacterial skin infection (cellulitis) in a limb (arm or leg) where the exact location is unknown.
This code signifies cellulitis affecting an unspecified part of a limb.It's used when the precise location of the cellulitis (e.g., calf, foot, thigh) on the limb cannot be determined or specified during the examination.Additional codes may be necessary to specify the infectious agent.
Example 1: A patient presents with swelling, redness, and pain in their leg, but the exact location is unclear due to widespread inflammation.L03.119 is used because the specific location on the leg is undetermined., An elderly patient with cognitive impairment is admitted with a lower extremity cellulitis. Due to the patient’s condition a precise location cannot be easily determined; L03.119 is the appropriate code., A patient with significant edema and inflammation presents to the emergency room with cellulitis of the arm.The widespread inflammation obscures the precise location; L03.119 is the most accurate code in this scenario.Further examination and testing may reveal a more precise location and subsequent code change, but at present L03.119 is sufficient.
Complete physical examination notes detailing the location, size, and characteristics of the cellulitis.Lab results including cultures and sensitivity testing to identify the causative organism.Details of any treatment provided, including antibiotics prescribed, and the patient's response to treatment. Documentation supporting medical necessity.
** This code is intended for cases where the precise location of cellulitis on a limb is uncertain.Always ensure that the documentation accurately reflects the clinical findings and justifies the use of this code. Consider using additional codes for bilateral involvement if necessary.
- Payment Status: Active
- Modifier TC rule: Not applicable for this diagnosis code.
- Specialties:Infectious disease, dermatology, emergency medicine, general practice
- Place of Service:Office, hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, emergency room, urgent care, telehealth