Body system: Musculoskeletal SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a
This diagnostic code covers situations where you've lost part of your skull bone, including both the outer layer and inner layer of the skull. The VA rates this condition based on how large the area of missing skull is and whether it has caused a brain hernia (when brain tissue pushes through the opening). Ratings range from 10% for small areas (smaller than a quarter) up to 80% if you have a brain hernia, which is the most serious complication.
Rating levels
- 80% — You have part of your skull bone missing from both the inner and outer layers, and brain tissue is bulging or pushing through the opening in your skull (brain hernia). This creates a visible bulge where brain tissue protrudes beyond the normal skull boundary due to the bone loss.
- 50% — You have lost part of your skull bone where both the inner and outer layers are missing, creating an opening larger than a 50-cent piece (about 1.14 inches across). The missing bone has not caused your brain tissue to bulge out through the opening (brain hernia is when brain tissue pushes through a skull defect).
- 30% — You have a moderate-sized section of your skull missing that goes through both the outer and inner layers of bone, but your brain tissue is not pushing through or bulging out of the opening (brain hernia). The missing area is medium-sized - not just a small piece but not an extremely large portion either.
- 10% — You have a skull defect where both the inner and outer layers of skull bone are missing, but the missing area is smaller than a quarter (about three-quarters of an inch across). The brain tissue underneath is not bulging out through the opening (no brain hernia), which means the brain is still properly contained within the skull despite the bone loss.