PFO, Patent Foramen Ovale
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PFO, Patent Foramen Ovale
Anyone here an AME, or anyone who has been diagnosed with a PFO? Is the medical suspended and how difficult is it to get an EASA class 1 medical back if someone is diagnosed?
Apparently between 25% and 40% of the population have them, and they are so rarely diagnosed that the number is still that uncertain, so a large proportion of pilots have them unknowingly. I have found US aeromedical advice that it is considered "normal variation" it is so common, but it is not even included in the CAA list of cardio-vascular complaints in their AMC and GM for AMEs. Does this mean it does not even mean suspension of medical? That is my reading of the regulation " Applicants shall not suffer from any cardiovascular disorder which is likely to interfere with the safe exercise of the privileges of the applicable licence(s) ".
Apparently between 25% and 40% of the population have them, and they are so rarely diagnosed that the number is still that uncertain, so a large proportion of pilots have them unknowingly. I have found US aeromedical advice that it is considered "normal variation" it is so common, but it is not even included in the CAA list of cardio-vascular complaints in their AMC and GM for AMEs. Does this mean it does not even mean suspension of medical? That is my reading of the regulation " Applicants shall not suffer from any cardiovascular disorder which is likely to interfere with the safe exercise of the privileges of the applicable licence(s) ".
Last edited by utonia; 10th Jul 2018 at 09:40.
"Why do you know that you have a PFO?" is likely the more important question...
Not trying to be snide, but in the absence of an echo with a bubble study (for some other reason) or some clinical problem like an unexplained TIA prompting investigation, PFO is usually clinically inevident, and would thus likely be unlikely to be incidentally diagnosed.
And yeah, I am an FAA AME.
Not trying to be snide, but in the absence of an echo with a bubble study (for some other reason) or some clinical problem like an unexplained TIA prompting investigation, PFO is usually clinically inevident, and would thus likely be unlikely to be incidentally diagnosed.
And yeah, I am an FAA AME.
Last edited by 421dog; 11th Jul 2018 at 22:36.
