EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Splenectomy (Surgical Spleen Removal)
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.117 (Hemic and lymphatic systems) · reviewed 2026-05-17 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Splenectomy (Surgical Spleen Removal) is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 7706 of 38 CFR § 4.117, DC 7706 across 2 severity tiers (20% / 30%). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.
OVERVIEW
Surgical removal of the spleen, typically performed after trauma (e.g., motor vehicle accidents, combat injury, sports injury), splenic rupture, or for certain hematologic conditions (ITP, hereditary spherocytosis, lymphoma staging). Post-splenectomy patients face lifetime increased risk of overwhelming sepsis from encapsulated bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis) — requires lifetime prophylactic vaccinations + often daily antibiotic prophylaxis.
RATING CRITERIA (2 LEVELS)
20%
Spleen removal - minimum rating.
30%
With complications such as systemic infections with encapsulated bacteria.
KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER
-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints
-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)
-Range of motion measurements
-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin
-Buddy statements describing limitations
-Prescription history
-Physical therapy records
-Employment impact documentation
C&P EXAM TIPS (6)
1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.
2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.
3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.
4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).
5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.
6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.117 (Hemic and lymphatic systems). Source verified 2026-05-17 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team during a regulation-text comparison against the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026