---
title: "DC 5297 - Ribs, removal of"
diagnostic_code: "5297"
body_system: "Musculoskeletal System"
cfr_section: "§ 4.71a"
canonical: "https://veteranai.co/va-rating-schedule/musculoskeletal/5297-ribs-removal-of"
source: "https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-4.71a"
updated: "2026-07-21T02:56:41.793961Z"
---

# DC 5297 - Ribs, removal of

Rated under § 4.71a. Body system: Musculoskeletal System.

## Rating criteria

| Rating | Criteria |
| --- | --- |
| 50% | More than six |
| 40% | Five or six |
| 30% | Three or four |
| 20% | Two |
| 10% | One or resection of two or more ribs without regeneration |

## Notes

- Note (1): The rating for rib resection or removal is not to be applied with ratings for purrulent pleurisy, lobectomy, pneumonectomy or injuries of pleural cavity.
- Note (2): However, rib resection will be considered as rib removal in thoracoplasty performed for collapse therapy or to accomplish obliteration of space and will be combined with the rating for lung collapse, or with the rating for lobectomy, pneumonectomy or the graduated ratings for pulmonary tuberculosis.

# VA Disability Rating: Removal of Ribs (Diagnostic Code 5297)

*Musculoskeletal System — 38 CFR § 4.71a*

## Understanding This Condition

Diagnostic Code 5297 addresses disability ratings for the **removal of ribs**. Under this code, the VA assigns a rating based on how many ribs have been removed, or in certain cases, on the resection of ribs. The more ribs involved, the higher the potential rating.

## Available Rating Levels

The VA uses the following schedule of ratings for rib removal:

| Rating | Criteria |
|--------|----------|
| **50%** | More than six ribs |
| **40%** | Five or six ribs |
| **30%** | Three or four ribs |
| **20%** | Two ribs |
| **10%** | One rib, or resection of two or more ribs without regeneration |

## What the VA Looks For

When rating under Diagnostic Code 5297, the VA focuses on the **number of ribs removed**, and in some cases, whether ribs were resected without regeneration. Two important rules apply to how this rating is used:

- **Note (1):** The rating for rib resection or removal is **not** to be applied together with ratings for purulent pleurisy, lobectomy, pneumonectomy, or injuries of the pleural cavity.

- **Note (2):** However, rib resection **will** be considered as rib removal in thoracoplasty performed for collapse therapy or to accomplish obliteration of space, and will be combined with the rating for lung collapse, or with the rating for lobectomy, pneumonectomy, or the graduated ratings for pulmonary tuberculosis.

---

*This information is drawn from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.71a for Diagnostic Code 5297. Individual ratings depend on the specific facts of each case as evaluated by the VA.*

Source: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-38/section-4.71a