Title 38
SECTION 4.114
4.114 Schedule of ratings - digestive system.
§ 4.114 Schedule of ratings - digestive system.Ratings under diagnostic codes 7301 to 7329, inclusive, 7331, 7342, and 7345 to 7348 inclusive will not be combined with each other. A single evaluation will be assigned under the diagnostic code which reflects the predominant disability picture, with elevation to the next higher evaluation where the severity of the overall disability warrants such elevation.
| Rating | |
|---|---|
| 7200 Mouth, injuries of. | |
| Rate as for disfigurement and impairment of function of mastication. | |
| 7201 Lips, injuries of. | |
| Rate as for disfigurement of face. | |
| 7202 Tongue, loss of whole or part: | |
| With inability to communicate by speech | 100 |
| One-half or more | 60 |
| With marked speech impairment | 30 |
| 7203 Esophagus, stricture of: | |
| Permitting passage of liquids only, with marked impairment of general health | 80 |
| Severe, permitting liquids only | 50 |
| Moderate | 30 |
| 7204 Esophagus, spasm of (cardiospasm). | |
| If not amenable to dilation, rate as for the degree of obstruction (stricture). | |
| 7205 Esophagus, diverticulum of, acquired. | |
| Rate as for obstruction (stricture). | |
| 7301 Peritoneum, adhesions of: | |
| Severe; definite partial obstruction shown by X-ray, with frequent and prolonged episodes of severe colic distension, nausea or vomiting, following severe peritonitis, ruptured appendix, perforated ulcer, or operation with drainage | 50 |
| Moderately severe; partial obstruction manifested by delayed motility of barium meal and less frequent and less prolonged episodes of pain | 30 |
| Moderate; pulling pain on attempting work or aggravated by movements of the body, or occasional episodes of colic pain, nausea, constipation (perhaps alternating with diarrhea) or abdominal distension | 10 |
| Mild | 0 |
| Note: Ratings for adhesions will be considered when there is history of operative or other traumatic or infectious (intraabdominal) process, and at least two of the following: disturbance of motility, actual partial obstruction, reflex disturbances, presence of pain. | |
| 7304 Ulcer, gastric. | |
| 7305 Ulcer, duodenal: | |
| Severe; pain only partially relieved by standard ulcer therapy, periodic vomiting, recurrent hematemesis or melena, with manifestations of anemia and weight loss productive of definite impairment of health | 60 |
| Moderately severe; less than severe but with impairment of health manifested by anemia and weight loss; or recurrent incapacitating episodes averaging 10 days or more in duration at least four or more times a year | 40 |
| Moderate; recurring episodes of severe symptoms two or three times a year averaging 10 days in duration; or with continuous moderate manifestations | 20 |
| Mild; with recurring symptoms once or twice yearly | 10 |
| 7306 Ulcer, marginal (gastrojejunal): | |
| Pronounced; periodic or continuous pain unrelieved by standard ulcer therapy with periodic vomiting, recurring melena or hematemesis, and weight loss. Totally incapacitating | 100 |
| Severe; same as pronounced with less pronounced and less continuous symptoms with definite impairment of health | 60 |
| Moderately severe; intercurrent episodes of abdominal pain at least once a month partially or completely relieved by ulcer therapy, mild and transient episodes of vomiting or melena | 40 |
| Moderate; with episodes of recurring symptoms several times a year | 20 |
| Mild; with brief episodes of recurring symptoms once or twice yearly | 10 |
| 7307 Gastritis, hypertrophic (identified by gastroscope): | |
| Chronic; with severe hemorrhages, or large ulcerated or eroded areas | 60 |
| Chronic; with multiple small eroded or ulcerated areas, and symptoms | 30 |
| Chronic; with small nodular lesions, and symptoms | 10 |
| Gastritis, atrophic. | |
| A complication of a number of diseases, including pernicious anemia. | |
| Rate the underlying condition. | |
| 7308 Postgastrectomy syndromes: | |
| Severe; associated with nausea, sweating, circulatory disturbance after meals, diarrhea, hypoglycemic symptoms, and weight loss with malnutrition and anemia | 60 |
| Moderate; less frequent episodes of epigastric disorders with characteristic mild circulatory symptoms after meals but with diarrhea and weight loss | 40 |
| Mild; infrequent episodes of epigastric distress with characteristic mild circulatory symptoms or continuous mild manifestations | 20 |
| 7309 Stomach, stenosis of. | |
| Rate as for gastric ulcer. | |
| 7310 Stomach, injury of, residuals. | |
| Rate as peritoneal adhesions. | |
| 7311 Residuals of injury of the liver: | |
| Depending on the specific residuals, separately evaluate as adhesions of peritoneum (diagnostic code 7301), cirrhosis of liver (diagnostic code 7312), and chronic liver disease without cirrhosis (diagnostic code 7345). | |
| 7312 Cirrhosis of the liver, primary biliary cirrhosis, or cirrhotic phase of sclerosing cholangitis: | |
| Generalized weakness, substantial weight loss, and persistent jaundice, or; with one of the following refractory to treatment: ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, hemorrhage from varices or portal gastropathy (erosive gastritis) | 100 |
| History of two or more episodes of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, or hemorrhage from varices or portal gastropathy (erosive gastritis), but with periods of remission between attacks | 70 |
| History of one episode of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, or hemorrhage from varices or portal gastropathy (erosive gastritis) | 50 |
| Portal hypertension and splenomegaly, with weakness, anorexia, abdominal pain, malaise, and at least minor weight loss | 30 |
| Symptoms such as weakness, anorexia, abdominal pain, and malaise | 10 |
| Note: For evaluation under diagnostic code 7312, documentation of cirrhosis (by biopsy or imaging) and abnormal liver function tests must be present. | |
| 7314 Cholecystitis, chronic: | |
| Severe; frequent attacks of gall bladder colic | 30 |
| Moderate; gall bladder dyspepsia, confirmed by X-ray technique, and with infrequent attacks (not over two or three a year) of gall bladder colic, with or without jaundice | 10 |
| Mild | 0 |
| 7315 Cholelithiasis, chronic. | |
| Rate as for chronic cholecystitis. | |
| 7316 Cholangitis, chronic. | |
| Rate as for chronic cholecystitis. | |
| 7317 Gall bladder, injury of. | |
| Rate as for peritoneal adhesions. | |
| 7318 Gall bladder, removal of: | |
| With severe symptoms | 30 |
| With mild symptoms | 10 |
| Nonsymptomatic | 0 |
| Spleen, disease or injury of. | |
| See Hemic and Lymphatic Systems. | |
| 7319 Irritable colon syndrome (spastic colitis, mucous colitis, etc.): | |
| Severe; diarrhea, or alternating diarrhea and constipation, with more or less constant abdominal distress | 30 |
| Moderate; frequent episodes of bowel disturbance with abdominal distress | 10 |
| Mild; disturbances of bowel function with occasional episodes of abdominal distress | 0 |
| 7321 Amebiasis: | |
| Mild gastrointestinal disturbances, lower abdominal cramps, nausea, gaseous distention, chronic constipation interrupted by diarrhea | 10 |
| Asymptomatic | 0 |
| Note: Amebiasis with or without liver abscess is parallel in symptomatology with ulcerative colitis and should be rated on the scale provided for the latter. Similarly, lung abscess due to amebiasis will be rated under the respiratory system schedule, diagnostic code 6809. | |
| 7322 Dysentery, bacillary. | |
| Rate as for ulcerative colitis. | |
| 7323 Colitis, ulcerative: | |
| Pronounced; resulting in marked malnutrition, anemia, and general debility, or with serious complication as liver abscess | 100 |
| Severe; with numerous attacks a year and malnutrition, the health only fair during remissions | 60 |
| Moderately severe; with frequent exacerbations | 30 |
| Moderate; with infrequent exacerbations | 10 |
| 7324 Distomiasis, intestinal or hepatic: | |
| Severe symptoms | 30 |
| Moderate symptoms | 10 |
| Mild or no symptoms | 0 |
| 7325 Enteritis, chronic. | |
| Rate as for irritable colon syndrome. | |
| 7326 Enterocolitis, chronic. | |
| Rate as for irritable colon syndrome. | |
| 7327 Diverticulitis. | |
| Rate as for irritable colon syndrome, peritoneal adhesions, or colitis, ulcerative, depending upon the predominant disability picture. | |
| 7328 Intestine, small, resection of: | |
| With marked interference with absorption and nutrition, manifested by severe impairment of health objectively supported by examination findings including material weight loss | 60 |
| With definite interference with absorption and nutrition, manifested by impairment of health objectively supported by examination findings including definite weight loss | 40 |
| Symptomatic with diarrhea, anemia and inability to gain weight | 20 |
| Note: Where residual adhesions constitute the predominant disability, rate under diagnostic code 7301. | |
| 7329 Intestine, large, resection of: | |
| With severe symptoms, objectively supported by examination findings | 40 |
| With moderate symptoms | 20 |
| With slight symptoms | 10 |
| Note: Where residual adhesions constitute the predominant disability, rate under diagnostic code 7301. | |
| 7330 Intestine, fistula of, persistent, or after attempt at operative closure: | |
| Copious and frequent, fecal discharge | 100 |
| Constant or frequent, fecal discharge | 60 |
| Slight infrequent, fecal discharge | 30 |
| Healed; rate for peritoneal adhesions. | |
| 7331 Peritonitis, tuberculous, active or inactive: | |
| Active | 100 |
| Inactive: See §§ 4.88b and 4.89. | |
| 7332 Rectum and anus, impairment of sphincter control: | |
| Complete loss of sphincter control | 100 |
| Extensive leakage and fairly frequent involuntary bowel movements | 60 |
| Occasional involuntary bowel movements, necessitating wearing of pad | 30 |
| Constant slight, or occasional moderate leakage | 10 |
| Healed or slight, without leakage | 0 |
| 7333 Rectum and anus, stricture of: | |
| Requiring colostomy | 100 |
| Great reduction of lumen, or extensive leakage | 50 |
| Moderate reduction of lumen, or moderate constant leakage | 30 |
| 7334 Rectum, prolapse of: | |
| Severe (or complete), persistent | 50 |
| Moderate, persistent or frequently recurring | 30 |
| Mild with constant slight or occasional moderate leakage | 10 |
| 7335 Ano, fistula in. | |
| Rate as for impairment of sphincter control. | |
| 7336 Hemorrhoids, external or internal: | |
| With persistent bleeding and with secondary anemia, or with fissures | 20 |
| Large or thrombotic, irreducible, with excessive redundant tissue, evidencing frequent recurrences | 10 |
| Mild or moderate | 0 |
| 7337 Pruritus ani. | |
| Rate for the underlying condition. | |
| 7338 Hernia, inguinal: | |
| Large, postoperative, recurrent, not well supported under ordinary conditions and not readily reducible, when considered inoperable | 60 |
| Small, postoperative recurrent, or unoperated irremediable, not well supported by truss, or not readily reducible | 30 |
| Postoperative recurrent, readily reducible and well supported by truss or belt | 10 |
| Not operated, but remediable | 0 |
| Small, reducible, or without true hernia protrusion | 0 |
| Note: Add 10 percent for bilateral involvement, provided the second hernia is compensable. This means that the more severely disabling hernia is to be evaluated, and 10 percent, only, added for the second hernia, if the latter is of compensable degree. | |
| 7339 Hernia, ventral, postoperative: | |
| Massive, persistent, severe diastasis of recti muscles or extensive diffuse destruction or weakening of muscular and fascial support of abdominal wall so as to be inoperable | 100 |
| Large, not well supported by belt under ordinary conditions | 40 |
| Small, not well supported by belt under ordinary conditions, or healed ventral hernia or post-operative wounds with weakening of abdominal wall and indication for a supporting belt | 20 |
| Wounds, postoperative, healed, no disability, belt not indicated | 0 |
| 7340 Hernia, femoral. | |
| Rate as for inguinal hernia. | |
| 7342 Visceroptosis, symptomatic, marked | 10 |
| 7343 Malignant neoplasms of the digestive system, exclusive of skin growths | 100 |
| Note: A rating of 100 percent shall continue beyond the cessation of any surgical, X-ray, antineoplastic chemotherapy or other therapeutic procedure. Six months after discontinuance of such treatment, the appropriate disability rating shall be determined by mandatory VA examination. Any change in evaluation based upon that or any subsequent examination shall be subject to the provisions of § 3.105(e) of this chapter. If there has been no local recurrence or metastasis, rate on residuals. | |
| 7344 Benign neoplasms, exclusive of skin growths: | |
| Evaluate under an appropriate diagnostic code, depending on the predominant disability or the specific residuals after treatment. | |
| 7345 Chronic liver disease without cirrhosis (including hepatitis B, chronic active hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, hemochromatosis, drug-induced hepatitis, etc., but excluding bile duct disorders and hepatitis C): | |
| Near-constant debilitating symptoms (such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) | 100 |
| Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, with substantial weight loss (or other indication of malnutrition), and hepatomegaly, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past 12-month period, but not occurring constantly | 60 |
| Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, with minor weight loss and hepatomegaly, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least four weeks, but less than six weeks, during the past 12-month period | 40 |
| Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia (without weight loss or hepatomegaly), requiring dietary restriction or continuous medication, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least two weeks, but less than four weeks, during the past 12-month period | 20 |
| Intermittent fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least one week, but less than two weeks, during the past 12-month period | 10 |
| Nonsymptomatic | 0 |
| Note (1): Evaluate sequelae, such as cirrhosis or malignancy of the liver, under an appropriate diagnostic code, but do not use the same signs and symptoms as the basis for evaluation under DC 7354 and under a diagnostic code for sequelae. (See § 4.14.). | |
| Note (2): For purposes of evaluating conditions under diagnostic code 7345, “incapacitating episode” means a period of acute signs and symptoms severe enough to require bed rest and treatment by a physician. | |
| Note (3): Hepatitis B infection must be confirmed by serologic testing in order to evaluate it under diagnostic code 7345. | |
| 7346 Hernia hiatal: | |
| Symptoms of pain, vomiting, material weight loss and hematemesis or melena with moderate anemia; or other symptom combinations productive of severe impairment of health | 60 |
| Persistently recurrent epigastric distress with dysphagia, pyrosis, and regurgitation, accompanied by substernal or arm or shoulder pain, productive of considerable impairment of health | 30 |
| With two or more of the symptoms for the 30 percent evaluation of less severity | 10 |
| 7347 Pancreatitis: | |
| With frequently recurrent disabling attacks of abdominal pain with few pain free intermissions and with steatorrhea, malabsorption, diarrhea and severe malnutrition | 100 |
| With frequent attacks of abdominal pain, loss of normal body weight and other findings showing continuing pancreatic insufficiency between acute attacks | 60 |
| Moderately severe; with at least 4-7 typical attacks of abdominal pain per year with good remission between attacks | 30 |
| With at least one recurring attack of typical severe abdominal pain in the past year | 10 |
| Note 1: Abdominal pain in this condition must be confirmed as resulting from pancreatitis by appropriate laboratory and clinical studies. | |
| Note 2: Following total or partial pancreatectomy, rate under above, symptoms, minimum rating 30 percent. | |
| 7348 Vagotomy with pyloroplasty or gastroenterostomy: | |
| Followed by demonstrably confirmative postoperative complications of stricture or continuing gastric retention | 40 |
| With symptoms and confirmed diagnosis of alkaline gastritis, or of confirmed persisting diarrhea | 30 |
| Recurrent ulcer with incomplete vagotomy | 20 |
| Note: Rate recurrent ulcer following complete vagotomy under diagnostic code 7305, minimum rating 20 percent; and rate dumping syndrome under diagnostic code 7308. | |
| 7351 Liver transplant: | |
| For an indefinite period from the date of hospital admission for transplant surgery | 100 |
| Minimum | 30 |
| Note: A rating of 100 percent shall be assigned as of the date of hospital admission for transplant surgery and shall continue. One year following discharge, the appropriate disability rating shall be determined by mandatory VA examination. Any change in evaluation based upon that or any subsequent examination shall be subject to the provisions of § 3.105(e) of this chapter. | |
| 7354 Hepatitis C (or non-A, non-B hepatitis): | |
| With serologic evidence of hepatitis C infection and the following signs and symptoms due to hepatitis C infection: | |
| Near-constant debilitating symptoms (such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) | 100 |
| Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, with substantial weight loss (or other indication of malnutrition), and hepatomegaly, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least six weeks during the past 12-month period, but not occurring constantly | 60 |
| Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, with minor weight loss and hepatomegaly, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least four weeks, but less than six weeks, during the past 12-month period | 40 |
| Daily fatigue, malaise, and anorexia (without weight loss or hepatomegaly), requiring dietary restriction or continuous medication, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least two weeks, but less than four weeks, during the past 12-month period | 20 |
| Intermittent fatigue, malaise, and anorexia, or; incapacitating episodes (with symptoms such as fatigue, malaise, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, arthralgia, and right upper quadrant pain) having a total duration of at least one week, but less than two weeks, during the past 12-month period | 10 |
| Nonsymptomatic | 0 |
| Note (1): Evaluate sequelae, such as cirrhosis or malignancy of the liver, under an appropriate diagnostic code, but do not use the same signs and symptoms as the basis for evaluation under DC 7354 and under a diagnostic code for sequelae. (See § 4.14.). | |
| Note (2): For purposes of evaluating conditions under diagnostic code 7354, “incapacitating episode” means a period of acute signs and symptoms severe enough to require bed rest and treatment by a physician. |