Body system: Digestive SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.114
This rating covers veterans who've had part or all of their large intestine (colon) surgically removed, often due to conditions like cancer, Crohn's disease, or severe colitis. The VA rates this from 10% to 100% based on how much of your colon was removed and whether you need a colostomy or ileostomy bag. Higher ratings go to veterans with more extensive surgery, permanent ostomy bags, or serious complications like frequent dehydration requiring IV fluids.
Rating levels
- 100% — Your entire large intestine has been surgically removed and you now have an ileostomy (a surgical opening where waste exits through your abdominal wall into a bag), along with high-output syndrome (your body produces excessive watery stool output that's difficult to control). You must have experienced more than two episodes of severe dehydration in the past year that were serious enough to require IV fluids at a hospital or medical facility.
- 60% — You qualify for this rating if you've had your entire large intestine (colon) surgically removed, whether or not you also have a permanent colostomy bag (waste exits through an opening in your abdominal wall into a bag) or ileostomy (similar opening but connected to your small intestine). The key requirement is that you don't have high-output syndrome, which means your ostomy isn't producing abnormally large amounts of waste that would cause additional complications like dehydration or electrolyte imbalances.
- 40% — You had part of your large intestine (colon) surgically removed and now have a permanent colostomy or ileostomy (a surgically created opening in your abdomen where waste exits into an external bag). Your ostomy is functioning normally without high-output syndrome (excessive drainage that causes dehydration and electrolyte problems).
- 20% — You qualify for this rating if you've had part of your large intestine surgically removed and then reconnected, specifically losing your ileocecal valve (the part where your small and large intestines connect). You must also be experiencing frequent diarrhea episodes - more than 3 times per day on a recurring basis.
- 10% — You had surgery where doctors removed part of your large intestine (colon) and then reconnected the remaining healthy sections back together. This rating applies when you've recovered from the surgery but may still have some ongoing digestive issues like changes in bowel habits, occasional cramping, or dietary restrictions due to having less colon to process waste.