2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code L04.3Acute lymphadenitis of lower limb

ICD-10-CM CodesL00–L99L00-L08L04

ICD-10-CM L04.3
CMSSource: CMS FY 2026 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2025 – Sep 30, 2026

L04.3 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for acute lymphadenitis of lower limb. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 814 through 816. Coders also document this condition as acute inguinal lymphadenitis. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Skin and subcutaneous tissue infections.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
L04.3
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Acute lymphadenitis of lower limb
Short Description
Acute lymphadenitis of lower limb
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
Acute lymphadenitis

Code Classification

ChapterL00–L99Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
SectionL00-L08Infections of the skin and subcutaneous tissue
CategoryL04Acute lymphadenitis
This CodeL04.3Acute lymphadenitis of lower limb

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Acute inguinal lymphadenitis
  • Acute lymphadenitis of inguinal lymph nodes
  • Acute lymphadenitis of lower limb
  • Inguinal lymphadenopathy

Tabular List NotesGuidance

Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.

Inclusion Terms

  • Acute lymphadenitis of hip

Type 2 Excludes

  • acute lymphadenitis of groin L04.1

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.

    • Lymphadenitis
      • acute
        • hip
    • Lymphadenitis
      • acute
        • limb
          • lower

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

Clinical InformationClinical

  • Acute Lymphadenitis

    acute inflammation of the lymph nodes.

Patient EducationClinical

Lymphatic Diseases

The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs. It is made up of:

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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

Convert L04.3 to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
683 Acute lymphadenitis
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

Questions About L04.3Overview

Is L04.3 (Acute lymphadenitis) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report acute lymphadenitis of lower limb on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.

What MS-DRG does L04.3 group to?

When acute lymphadenitis of lower limb is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 814, 815, 816, with relative weights from 0.6320 to 2.1267 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of L04.3?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, acute lymphadenitis of lower limb converts to ICD-9-CM 683 (acute lymphadenitis). 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.