BVA9506381 
DOCKET NO.  93-16 115     )       DATE
          )
          )

On appeal from the decision of the
Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Denver,
Colorado

THE ISSUE

Entitlement to service connection for prolapse of the rectum.

REPRESENTATION

Appellant represented by: Colorado Department of Social
Services

WITNESS AT HEARING ON APPEAL

Appellant

ATTORNEY FOR THE BOARD

Heather J. Harner, Associate Counsel

REMAND

The veteran had active duty from July 1945 to August 1946.

While on active duty, the veteran underwent an operation for
hemorrhoids.  The veteran now contends that he has leakage from a
loss of sphincter tone which resulted from the in-service
operation.  He avers that the operation caused nerve damage and
that he has had leakage from the rectum ever since.  Service
connection is in effect for hemorrhoids, assigned a 10 percent
evaluation.

It is not clear from the medical records contained in the
veteran's claims file whether the leakage results from loss of
sphincter tone or whether such loss of tone could reasonably be
related to the veteran's period of service either directly or
proximately.  In addition, the most recent medical treatment
reports contained in the claims file are dated in 1990.  In order
to make an informed decision about this veteran's claim, the
Board of Veterans' Appeals (Board) must be able to review more
recent records describing the veteran's current condition.  If
such records demonstrate a current, chronic disability; the
question of any relationship to service must be answered
affirmatively for a grant of service connection to be warranted.

To ensure that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has met
its duty to assist the claimant in developing the facts pertinent
to the claim and to ensure full compliance with due process
requirements, the case is REMANDED to the regional office (RO)
for the following development:

1.  The RO should obtain the names and
addresses of any private medical care
providers who treated the veteran for his
rectal disorders since 1990.  After
securing the necessary release, the RO
should obtain these records.

2.  The RO should obtain all records of VA
medical treatment related to his rectal
problems not contained in the veteran's
claims file for inclusion in the file.

3.  Following the receipt of these medical
records, the records should be reviewed by
an appropriate specialist in proctology to
determine whether they confirm the presence
of the claimed disability.  If deemed
necessary, the veteran should be scheduled
for a VA medical examination to identify
the veteran's various rectal disabilities.
If it is determined that the veteran
currently suffers from a rectal prolapse or
comparable disorder then the medical
records in his claims folder should be
reviewed to attempt to establish an
etiologic relationship between the
inservice surgery or a proximate cause
relationship between the veteran's service-
connected hemorrhoids and a rectal
prolapse.  If necessary, a special
proctologic examination should be conducted
to obtain an expert medical opinion.

4.  After the development requested above
has been completed to the extent possible,
the RO should again review the record.  If
the benefit sought on appeal remains
denied, the appellant and his
representative should be furnished a
supplemental statement of the case and
given the opportunity to respond thereto.

Thereafter, the case should be returned to the Board, if in
order.  The Board intimates no opinion as to the ultimate outcome
of this case.  The appellant need take no action unless otherwise
notified.

          V. L. JORDAN
          Member, Board of Veterans' Appeals

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE)
The Board of Veterans' Appeals Administrative Procedures
Improvement Act, Pub. L. No. 103-271, § 6, 108 Stat. 740, ___
(1994), permits a proceeding instituted before the Board to be
assigned to an individual member of the Board for a
determination.  This proceeding has been assigned to an
individual member of the Board.

Under 38 U.S.C.A. § 7252 (West 1991), only a decision of the
Board of Veterans' Appeals is appealable to the United States
Court of Veterans Appeals.  This remand is in the nature of a
preliminary order and does not constitute a decision of the Board
on the merits of your appeal.  38 C.F.R. § 20.1100(b) (1994).