L51 Erythema multiforme

Category / Non-billable header 6 subcodes

Block: Urticaria and erythema (L49-L54)

Excludes 1 (cannot be coded together)

  • staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (L00)
  • Ritter's disease (L00)

Use Additional Code

  • code for adverse effect, if applicable, to identify drug (T36-T50 with fifth or sixth character 5)
  • code to identify associated manifestations, such as:
  • arthropathy associated with dermatological disorders (M14.8-)
  • conjunctival edema (H11.42)
  • conjunctivitis (H10.22-)
  • corneal scars and opacities (H17.-)
  • corneal ulcer (H16.0-)
  • edema of eyelid (H02.84-)
  • inflammation of eyelid (H01.8-)
  • keratoconjunctivitis sicca (H16.22-)
  • mechanical lagophthalmos (H02.22-)
  • stomatitis (K12.-)
  • symblepharon (H11.23-)
  • code to identify percentage of skin exfoliation (L49.-)

Subcodes

Subcodes are listed below for reference. Detail pages are not available for chapters 11–22.

Code Description Billable
L51..0 Nonbullous erythema multiforme Yes
L51..1 Stevens-Johnson syndrome Yes
L51..2 Toxic epidermal necrolysis [Lyell] Yes
L51..3 Stevens-Johnson syndrome-toxic epidermal necrolysis overlap syndrome Yes
L51..8 Other erythema multiforme Yes
L51..9 Erythema multiforme, unspecified Yes

Last reviewed: September 2026