Type 2 diabetes mellitus with foot ulcer

This code signifies a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated by the presence of an ulcer on the foot. It indicates that the foot ulcer is a direct manifestation or consequence of the patient's underlying diabetic condition.

Use this code when documentation clearly states type 2 diabetes and a foot ulcer, implying a causal link. This is appropriate for patients presenting with diabetic foot complications requiring treatment for both the diabetes and the ulcer.

• Always sequence the diabetes code first, as it is the underlying condition.
• Specify laterality of the foot ulcer (e.g., left, right, bilateral) if documented, using additional codes from the L97 category.
• Ensure documentation differentiates between diabetic foot ulcers and other types of foot ulcers (e.g., venous stasis ulcers, pressure ulcers) to avoid miscoding.