Last summer my son had a cardiac ablation to correct SVT (Supra Ventricular Tacycardia). The procedure was considered to be a complete success and he has not had a single episode of SVT since. Will this part of his medical history be a problem when he applies to the academies?
Medical question
- Thread starter Sandy
- Start date
Sandy,
I don't have all the information at my fingertips right now. Due to some job issues I recently had my laptop cleared and I'm in the process of trying to rebuild it with all my previous notes. I am currently getting ready to travel at this moment, but I will get you an answer by tomorrow evening.
Luigi is on the right track, but I believe there may be some if/or items that may come into play here, and at this moment I do not have the information.
Again, I will get the information by tomorrow evening.
I don't have all the information at my fingertips right now. Due to some job issues I recently had my laptop cleared and I'm in the process of trying to rebuild it with all my previous notes. I am currently getting ready to travel at this moment, but I will get you an answer by tomorrow evening.
Luigi is on the right track, but I believe there may be some if/or items that may come into play here, and at this moment I do not have the information.
Again, I will get the information by tomorrow evening.
OK.. I've had time to review information, and I have the answer (sort of) as well as some questions for you.
The SVT in and of itself is disqualifying, unless there has been no recurrence during the preceding 2 years while off all medications.
The fact that your son had an ablation done for SVT is a little suprising for me, as I was only aware of ablations being done for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) or other ventricular conduction disorders. Granted medicine moves at the speed of light sometimes, and I haven't been keeping up recently.
So my question for you, I'm sure you are correct that your son had SVT, but is it possible that it might have been caused by a ventricular conduction disorder such as WPW?
Either way, as long as your son is asymptomatic for 2 years, and off medications, there should be no issues for him. If it has been less than 2 years, he will be found disqualified, but as long as he's been asymptomatic the chances of a waiver are good.
The SVT in and of itself is disqualifying, unless there has been no recurrence during the preceding 2 years while off all medications.
The fact that your son had an ablation done for SVT is a little suprising for me, as I was only aware of ablations being done for Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW) or other ventricular conduction disorders. Granted medicine moves at the speed of light sometimes, and I haven't been keeping up recently.
So my question for you, I'm sure you are correct that your son had SVT, but is it possible that it might have been caused by a ventricular conduction disorder such as WPW?
Either way, as long as your son is asymptomatic for 2 years, and off medications, there should be no issues for him. If it has been less than 2 years, he will be found disqualified, but as long as he's been asymptomatic the chances of a waiver are good.
Some answers to your questions
He definitely did not have Wolf Parkinson. Ablations are quite common these days for people with moderate to severe SVT. We opted not to have him treated with long term medication due to the side effects of the medication and because it is not a guarantee that it will control the SVT. Part of the ablation procedure includes a 30 minute period when the doctors try to trigger an SVT attack. While this gives the doctors an extremely clear picture as to whether or not the procedure was a success, they say that it is not considered curative until the patient has gone without an attack for 30days following the procedure. That was over a year ago and there have been no attacks. More questions for you..... His ablation was 6-14-06. It will be 2 years at the end of his Jr. year in High School. Is a waiver necessary? If so, how do we begin the process of the waiver and when? Simultaneous with the medical itself? Before? After?
He definitely did not have Wolf Parkinson. Ablations are quite common these days for people with moderate to severe SVT. We opted not to have him treated with long term medication due to the side effects of the medication and because it is not a guarantee that it will control the SVT. Part of the ablation procedure includes a 30 minute period when the doctors try to trigger an SVT attack. While this gives the doctors an extremely clear picture as to whether or not the procedure was a success, they say that it is not considered curative until the patient has gone without an attack for 30days following the procedure. That was over a year ago and there have been no attacks. More questions for you..... His ablation was 6-14-06. It will be 2 years at the end of his Jr. year in High School. Is a waiver necessary? If so, how do we begin the process of the waiver and when? Simultaneous with the medical itself? Before? After?
Luigi59
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Each academy has a different process for waivers, but I think all require that he take the DODMERB physical before the waiver process begins.
Some academies (like USAFA) require that you apply for a waiver with a written request. Others (like USNA and USCGA) will automatically consider him for a waiver if he is deemed qualified in all other aspects.
Good luck.
Sandy,
Well I've learned something new today, thank you for that. I'm not sure what steps DoDMERB will take or how they will view this. It could be that if he is asymptomatic for 2 years, DoDMERB will clear everything, or they could look at it that he still meets the disqualification. I can tell you that the standards are reviewed every couple of years, so it could be that by the time your son applies there will be no problems.
I'll just say have him apply, and once he's gone through the DoDMERB process, if there are any issues, I'm sure I'll still be around here!
Well I've learned something new today, thank you for that. I'm not sure what steps DoDMERB will take or how they will view this. It could be that if he is asymptomatic for 2 years, DoDMERB will clear everything, or they could look at it that he still meets the disqualification. I can tell you that the standards are reviewed every couple of years, so it could be that by the time your son applies there will be no problems.
I'll just say have him apply, and once he's gone through the DoDMERB process, if there are any issues, I'm sure I'll still be around here!