ICD-10-CM 2027 diagnosis code
L89.81Pressure ulcer of head
L89.81 is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself. Choose one of the 7 more specific codes beneath it.
Code unchanged since ICD-10-CM took effect on October 1, 2015. Source: official FY2027 ICD-10-CM release from CDC/NCHS and CMS. Page updated September 29, 2026. About our data
About L89.81
L89.81 is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for pressure ulcer of head. It belongs to category L89 (pressure ulcer), block L80-L99 (other disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue) and chapter 12 (diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue). It is a header code, so it can't be reported by itself; one of its 7 subcodes must be used instead.
Within L89.8 (pressure ulcer of other site), L89.81 is specifically for pressure ulcer of head. Related codes cover other site (L89.89).
To report this condition, pick the subcode that matches the documentation: L89.810 (unstageable), L89.811 (stage 1), L89.812 (stage 2), L89.813 (stage 3), L89.814 (stage 4), L89.816 (head) and L89.819 (unspecified stage).
Code first: any associated gangrene (I96).
It has been part of ICD-10-CM since the code set took effect on October 1, 2015 and hasn't changed since.
Specific codes under L89.81
- L89.810Pressure ulcer of head, unstageableBillable
- L89.811Pressure ulcer of head, stage 1Billable
- L89.812Pressure ulcer of head, stage 2Billable
- L89.813Pressure ulcer of head, stage 3Billable
- L89.814Pressure ulcer of head, stage 4Billable
- L89.816Pressure-induced deep tissue damage of headBillable
- L89.819Pressure ulcer of head, unspecified stageBillable
Coding notes
- Pressure ulcer of face
Notes that apply from higher levels
Instructions written at a parent level also apply to L89.81.
› From L89 Pressure ulcer
- bed sore
- decubitus ulcer
- plaster ulcer
- pressure area
- pressure sore
- any associated gangrene (I96)
Broader instructions also apply from Chapter 12: Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue.
Alphabetic index entries
14 entriesTerms in the official ICD-10-CM index that lead to L89.81.
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › face
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › head
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › stage 1 (healing) (pre-ulcer skin changes limited to persistent focal edema) › face
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › stage 1 (healing) (pre-ulcer skin changes limited to persistent focal edema) › head
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › stage 2 (healing) (abrasion, blister, partial thickness skin loss involving epidermis and/or dermis) › face
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › stage 2 (healing) (abrasion, blister, partial thickness skin loss involving epidermis and/or dermis) › head
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › stage 3 (healing) (full thickness skin loss involving damage or necrosis of subcutaneous tissue) › face
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › stage 3 (healing) (full thickness skin loss involving damage or necrosis of subcutaneous tissue) › head
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › stage 4 (healing) (necrosis of soft tissues through to underlying muscle, tendon, or bone) › face
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › stage 4 (healing) (necrosis of soft tissues through to underlying muscle, tendon, or bone) › head
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › unspecified stage › face
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › unspecified stage › head
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › unstageable › face
- Ulcer, ulcerated, ulcerating, ulceration, ulcerative › pressure (pressure area) › unstageable › head
Code history
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 2019
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022
- 2023
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
- 2027
- FY2016 (effective 10/1/2015): Added (first year of ICD-10-CM)
- No changes since FY2016.
Common questions about L89.81
Is L89.81 billable?
- No. L89.81 is a header code. Report one of its more specific subcodes instead.