VA Diagnostic Code 7318Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), complications of (such as strictures and biliary leaks)
Rated from 0% to 30% under § 4.114. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
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What each rating requires
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- 30%
With recurrent abdominal pain (post-prandial or nocturnal); and chronic diarrhea characterized by three or more watery bowel movements per day
- 10%
With intermittent abdominal pain; and diarrhea characterized by one to two watery bowel movements per day
- 0%
Asymptomatic
Cholecystectomy Complications (VA Diagnostic Code 7318)
Understanding Your Rating for Gallbladder Removal Complications
Digestive System — 38 CFR § 4.114, Diagnostic Code 7318
What This Condition Covers
Diagnostic Code 7318 addresses complications following a cholecystectomy — the surgical removal of the gallbladder. These complications can include issues such as strictures (narrowing of the bile ducts) and biliary leaks.
The VA rates this condition based on the symptoms you experience after surgery, with particular attention to abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Available Rating Levels
The VA assigns one of three rating levels based on the severity and frequency of your symptoms:
| Rating | What It Reflects |
|---|---|
| 30% | Recurrent abdominal pain (occurring after meals or at night); and chronic diarrhea with three or more watery bowel movements per day |
| 10% | Intermittent abdominal pain; and diarrhea with one to two watery bowel movements per day |
| 0% | Asymptomatic (no symptoms) |
What the VA Looks For
When evaluating complications from a gallbladder removal under this code, the VA focuses on:
- The pattern of abdominal pain — whether it is recurrent (including pain after meals or at night) or intermittent.
- The frequency of diarrhea — specifically, how many watery bowel movements occur per day.
- Whether symptoms are present at all — an asymptomatic condition is rated at 0%.
Documenting the frequency and nature of your abdominal pain and bowel movements can help provide a clear picture of how this condition affects you.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.114, diagnostic code 7318. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
View official sourceHow to claim this
Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.
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Read each rung against what your medical records already say. The level your records document today is the one the VA can support today.
Name the gap
Look at the rung above yours and write down exactly what it asks for that your file does not show yet — a diagnosis, a measurement, a prescribed brace, a doctor’s opinion linking it to service.
Claim it by code
File under diagnostic code 7318 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Digestive System codes may cover your secondary conditions.
Find out which rating your evidence supports.
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