Effects of cardiac surgery on duty status in the active duty military population

Abstract

No modern studies have addressed the impact of cardiac surgery on military duty status, which is associated with constraints not applicable to the general population. A review of all active duty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), mitral valve repair (MVrep), bioprosthetic valve replacement (BIOVALVE), mechanical valve replacement (MECHVALVE), and septal defect closure (ASD/VSD) at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2011 was used to determine final duty status: Return to Full Duty (RTFD), Medical Board Separation or Planned Retirement/Separation. Complete data on final disposition was available for 99% (75/76) of patients. There were 9 Planned Retirement/Separation patients. There was a 100% rate of RTFD for all MVrep, BIOVALVE, and ASD/VSD patients. Patients undergoing CABG had an 83% (20/23) rate of RTFD. MECHVALVE patients had RTFD in only 23% (5/21) of cases. Patients undergoing MECHVALVE are unlikely to be suitable for continued service after surgery, but most if not all military patients undergoing MVrep, ASD/VSD, or BIOVALVE and the vast majority of CABG patients can expect to return to unrestricted active duty after surgery.