Surgical removal of one or more ribs, either partially or completely.
Because the rating depends entirely on how many ribs were removed or resected, the most important evidence is documentation that clearly states the number of ribs involved and whether regeneration occurred. Surgical reports and operative notes are the most direct source for this, since they typically name each rib removed or resected and describe the procedure performed.
Pathology reports and post-operative imaging such as X-rays or CT scans can confirm which ribs are absent or were resected and whether any bone has regenerated. Hospital discharge summaries and treatment records from the time of surgery can support and clarify the operative notes.
If the surgery was a thoracoplasty for collapse therapy or obliteration of space, records showing that purpose are relevant because the rating rules treat the resection differently in that situation. Statements from you about ongoing effects of the surgery may help establish the overall picture of your condition, though the rating itself turns on the rib count rather than symptom severity.
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.
