38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.104
Traumatic arteriovenous fistula — VA Diagnostic Code 7113
Cardiovascular
Diagnostic code
7113
38 CFR § 4.104 lists Diagnostic Code 7113 as “Arteriovenous fistula, traumatic:”. The cardiac lines are 100 and 60. Two later headings have empty rating cells and split lower extremity from upper extremity: 50 and 40 when ulceration or cellulitis is part of the finding, and 30 and 20 when the finding is chronic edema or stasis dermatitis. The catalog slug is dc-7113-arteriovenous-fistula-traumatic.
Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was last amended on 2026-08-27. On 2026-10-05 the titles list reports up to date as of 2026-10-02, and the 2026-10-02 XML for the sections quoted here matches the 2026-10-01 XML. Section 4.104 source note: [62 FR 65219, Dec. 11, 1997, as amended at 63 FR 37779, July 14, 1998; 71 FR 52460, Sept. 6, 2006; 79 FR 2100, Jan. 13, 2014; 82 FR 50804, Nov. 2, 2017; 86 FR 54093, Sept. 30, 2021; 86 FR 62095, Nov. 9, 2021].
The rating criteria at each level
Arteriovenous fistula, traumatic — DC 7113
Rating %: 100
Criteria (verbatim). With high-output heart failure
Rating %: 60
Criteria (verbatim). Without heart failure but with enlarged heart, wide pulse pressure, and tachycardia
| Rating % | Criteria (verbatim) |
|---|---|
| 100 | With high-output heart failure |
| 60 | Without heart failure but with enlarged heart, wide pulse pressure, and tachycardia |
Without cardiac involvement but with chronic edema, stasis dermatitis, and either ulceration or cellulitis
Rating %: 50
Criteria (verbatim). Lower extremity
Rating %: 40
Criteria (verbatim). Upper extremity
| Rating % | Criteria (verbatim) |
|---|---|
| 50 | Lower extremity |
| 40 | Upper extremity |
Without cardiac involvement but with chronic edema or stasis dermatitis
Rating %: 30
Criteria (verbatim). Lower extremity
Rating %: 20
Criteria (verbatim). Upper extremity
| Rating % | Criteria (verbatim) |
|---|---|
| 30 | Lower extremity |
| 20 | Upper extremity |
The 100 line says “high-output heart failure.” The 60 line says “Without heart failure but with enlarged heart, wide pulse pressure, and tachycardia.” The three findings on the 60 line are joined by “and,” not “or.”
The 50/40 heading says “and either ulceration or cellulitis.” The 30/20 heading says “chronic edema or stasis dermatitis.” The second heading does not repeat “either ulceration or cellulitis.” Both headings say “Without cardiac involvement but.”
“Lower extremity” and “Upper extremity” are the criteria cells. DC 7113 prints no note under these rows. It does not print a 0 percent line. The title ends with a colon. The cardiac criteria cells do not end with a period.
38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just.
DC 7114 Note (4) says those peripheral-arterial evaluations involve a single extremity and, if more than one extremity is affected, to evaluate each extremity separately and combine under § 4.25, using the bilateral factor (§ 4.26) if applicable. That note is printed under DC 7114. It is not printed under DC 7113. DC 7115 Note (1) repeats the single-extremity sentence for thrombo-angiitis obliterans. It is not printed under DC 7113. 38 CFR § 4.14 says the evaluation of the same disability under various diagnoses is to be avoided, and that the evaluation of the same manifestation under different diagnoses is to be avoided.
The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “fistula” or “7113.” This page does not add DC 7113 to a presumptive row.
Source: 38 CFR § 4.104, Diagnostic Code 7113, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01. The source note prints [62 FR 65219, Dec. 11, 1997, as amended at 63 FR 37779, July 14, 1998; 71 FR 52460, Sept. 6, 2006; 79 FR 2100, Jan. 13, 2014; 82 FR 50804, Nov. 2, 2017; 86 FR 54093, Sept. 30, 2021; 86 FR 62095, Nov. 9, 2021].
What the words mean in your records
High-output is one word on the 100 line
The cell says “With high-output heart failure.” It does not say “congestive heart failure.”
Either versus or
The 50 and 40 lines sit under “and either ulceration or cellulitis.” The 30 and 20 lines sit under “chronic edema or stasis dermatitis,” without the word “either.”
The extremity words are the whole cell
Under each of those two headings, the criteria cells are “Lower extremity” and “Upper extremity.” The heading is the row above them, with an empty rating cell.
Evidence that speaks to each level
Cardiac lines
What the rater needs to see. High-output heart failure for 100. For 60: no heart failure, and an enlarged heart, and wide pulse pressure, and tachycardia.
Where that usually lives. The cardiology note and the studies that document heart size, pulse pressure, and rate.
No cardiac involvement
What the rater needs to see. Chronic edema, stasis dermatitis, and either ulceration or cellulitis, separated into lower extremity (50) and upper extremity (40). Or chronic edema or stasis dermatitis, lower extremity 30 and upper extremity 20.
Where that usually lives. The extremity examination describing edema, dermatitis, ulceration, or cellulitis, and which limb.
VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Artery and Vein Conditions” under Cardiovascular. The file is Artery and Vein Conditions.
The exam form
DC 7113 prints 100, 60, 50, 40, 30, and 20. This page does not say the artery and vein form replaces those lines.
Related codes and how they interact
The single-extremity note is on DC 7114
DC 7114 Note (4) tells the rater to evaluate each affected extremity separately and combine under § 4.25, using § 4.26 if applicable. DC 7113 does not print that note. DC 7113 does print separate lower-extremity and upper-extremity cells.
Secondary conditions and presumptions
Section 3.309 does not contain “fistula” or “7113.” This page does not add DC 7113 to a presumptive row.
A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.
Short answers
How does VA rate a traumatic arteriovenous fistula under DC 7113?
Under 38 CFR § 4.104, Diagnostic Code 7113 rates high-output heart failure at 100 and the enlarged-heart, wide-pulse-pressure, and tachycardia picture at 60. Without cardiac involvement, lower and upper extremity are 50 and 40 when ulceration or cellulitis is included, and 30 and 20 for chronic edema or stasis dermatitis. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.
Do the 60 percent findings use “or”?
No. The line says “enlarged heart, wide pulse pressure, and tachycardia,” and it also says “Without heart failure but.” Education only.
FAQ
What are the DC 7113 percentages?
100 with high-output heart failure. 60 without heart failure but with enlarged heart, wide pulse pressure, and tachycardia. Then 50 and 40, or 30 and 20, by lower or upper extremity under the two “without cardiac involvement” headings. Education only.
What is the difference between the 50 line and the 30 line?
Both say “Without cardiac involvement but.” The 50 and 40 heading adds “chronic edema, stasis dermatitis, and either ulceration or cellulitis.” The 30 and 20 heading says “chronic edema or stasis dermatitis.”
Does DC 7113 print the bilateral-factor note?
No. DC 7114 Note (4) and DC 7115 Note (1) mention § 4.25 and § 4.26. Those notes are not printed under DC 7113.
Next steps
- Read the decision for DC 7113, whether heart failure or the 60 percent cardiac findings were used, and which extremity heading was used if there was no cardiac involvement.
- The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
- Other cardiovascular codes are on the cardiovascular diagnostic-code index. The category page is cardiovascular conditions.
Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.
Other codes in this body system
Nearby catalog entries in Cardiovascular, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Cardiovascular codes
- DC 7017Coronary bypass surgery
- DC 7018Implantable cardiac pacemakers
- DC 7019Cardiac transplantation
- DC 7020Cardiomyopathy
- DC 7101Hypertensive vascular disease
- DC 7110Aortic aneurysm: ascending, thoracic, abdominal
- DC 7111Aneurysm, large artery
- DC 7112Aneurysm, small artery
- DC 7114Peripheral arterial disease
- DC 7115Thrombo-angiitis obliterans (Buerger's Disease)
- DC 7117Raynaud's syndrome (secondary Raynaud's phenomenon, secondary Raynaud's)
- DC 7118Angioneurotic edema
- DC 7119Erythromelalgia
- DC 7120Varicose veins
- DC 7121Post-phlebitic syndrome
- DC 7122Cold injury residuals
Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.
Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 7113 • va.gov
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.