2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L02.212Cutaneous abscess of back [any part, except buttock and flank]

ICD-10-CM Codes›L00–L99›L00-L08›L02

ICD-10-CM L02.212
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

L02.212 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for cutaneous abscess of back [any part, except buttock and flank]. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 573 through 575, 602 through 603. Coders also document this condition as abscess of back. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Skin and subcutaneous tissue infections.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
L02.212
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Cutaneous abscess of back [any part, except buttock and flank]
Short Description
Cutaneous abscess of back
Parent Code
L02.21
Cutaneous abscess of trunk

Code Classification

ChapterL00–L99Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
SectionL00-L08Infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
CategoryL02Cutaneous abscess, furuncle and carbuncle
This CodeL02.212Cutaneous abscess of back [any part, except buttock and flank]

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Abscess of back
  • Abscess of back, except buttock
  • Abscess of flank
  • Cellulitis and abscess of back
  • Cellulitis and abscess of flank
  • Cellulitis and abscess of trunk
  • Cellulitis of flank
  • Paraspinal abscess

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance

References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.

    • Abscess(connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic)
      • back (any part, except buttock and flank)
    • Abscess(connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic)
      • lumbar (tuberculous)
        • nontuberculous
    • Abscess(connective tissue) (embolic) (fistulous) (infective) (metastatic) (multiple) (pernicious) (pyogenic) (septic)
      • trunk
        • back

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR SKN001
Skin and subcutaneous tissue infections
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Abscess

An abscess is a pocket of pus. You can get an abscess almost anywhere in your body. When an area of your body becomes infected, your body's immune system tries to fight the infection. White blood cells go to the infected area, collect within the damaged tissue, and cause inflammation. During this process, pus forms.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert L02.212 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
682.2 Cellulitis of trunk
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code History & ChangesHistory

Revised Code L02.212 was revised for FY 2026, effective October 1, 2025.

Replaced This code was replaced in the FY 2026 code set by:

  • L02.217 - Cutaneous abscess of flank
  • L02.217 - Cutaneous abscess of flank
  • L02.217 - Cutaneous abscess of flank
FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentRevised in the current code setEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About L02.212Overview

Is L02.212 (Cutaneous abscess of trunk) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report cutaneous abscess of back [any part, except buttock and flank] on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does L02.212 group to?

When cutaneous abscess of back [any part, except buttock and flank] is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 573, 574, 575, 602, 603, with relative weights from 0.8709 to 6.5514 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of L02.212?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, cutaneous abscess of back [any part, except buttock and flank] converts to ICD-9-CM 682.2 (cellulitis of trunk). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.

Footnotes

[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.