Diagnostic Code 6840 · 38 CFR §4.97
Diaphragm paralysis or paresis is a condition where one or both sides of the diaphragm — the large muscle that drives breathing — cannot move properly due to nerve damage. This significantly reduces breathing capacity because the diaphragm is responsible for most of the work of inhaling. Veterans may develop this condition from phrenic nerve injury during chest or neck surgery, combat injuries, blast exposure, or as a complication of other service-connected conditions. Bilateral paralysis (both sides) is especially serious and can require mechanical ventilation.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 100% | |
| 60% | |
| 30% | |
| 10% |
Pulmonary function tests showing restrictive pattern, Chest X-ray or fluoroscopy showing elevated hemidiaphragm or absent movement, Sniff test (fluoroscopic evaluation of diaphragm motion), Nerve conduction study of the phrenic nerve if available, Records of the causative injury, surgery, or condition, Service medical records linking the nerve damage to military service