An abnormal connection between the intestine and the skin surface, allowing intestinal contents to leak outside the body.
Medical records that document how your fistula is being managed are central to showing where you fall in the rating levels. For the 100% level, records showing that you are receiving total parenteral nutrition, or physician orders and treatment notes confirming enteral nutritional support, are key. Alongside those, you would want records showing daily output logs measured against 130 cc ostomy bag capacity, nursing or wound-care notes counting pad changes per day, and documented BMI measurements with notes confirming persistent drainage lasting more than one month in the past year.
For the 60% level, the same types of records apply but reflect lower output volumes, fewer pad changes, and a BMI in the 16–18 range with drainage lasting more than two months in the past year. For the 30% level, treatment notes and discharge logs that show intermittent fecal discharge with drainage persisting more than three months in the past year are most relevant.
Statements from you or those who care for you describing the daily impact of drainage, output management, and nutritional support on your ability to work and carry out daily activities can help illustrate the functional picture that medical records alone may not fully capture.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
