Cardiac or thoracic surgery

Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter - Cardiac or thoracic surgery Factor

Thoracic surgery is surgery involving organs located in the thorax, or chest.  The thoracic cavity lies between the neck and the diaphragm, and contains the heart and lungs (cardiopulmonary system), the oesophagus, trachea, pleura, mediastinum, chest wall, and diaphragm. Therefore, in one sense, all cardiac surgery is also thoracic surgery.

Thoracic surgery treats diseased or injured organs and tissues in the thoracic cavity. General thoracic surgery deals specifically with disorders of the lungs and oesophagus.  Blunt chest trauma, reflux oesophagitis, oesophageal cancer, lung transplantation, lung cancer, and emphysema are just a few of the many clinical indications for thoracic surgery.

Cardiac surgery encompasses disorders of the heart, pericardium and great vessels, eg valve replacement, coronary bypass surgery, angioplasty (with stents), or transplant.

Clearly such surgery is a major event, and would be recorded in hospital records and doctor's notes.

Preliminary questions [14887]

14893 there is some evidence that cardiac or thoracic surgery may be a factor in the development of the condition under consideration.

10960 the veteran has undergone cardiac or thoracic surgery at some time.

10961 the veteran underwent cardiac or thoracic surgery within the 30 days immediately before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

10962  the veteran has established the causal connection between cardiac or thoracic surgery and VEA service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.

10963   the veteran has established the causal connection between cardiac or thoracic surgery and operational service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.

or

10964   the veteran has established the causal connection between cardiac or thoracic surgery and eligible service for the clinical onset of atrial fibrillation.

Clinical onset and operational service [10963]

10965 on operational service, the veteran underwent cardiac or thoracic surgery within the 30 days immediately before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration.

10966 the cardiac or thoracic surgery on operational service within the 30 days immediately before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration was due to the veteran's serious default, wilful act or serious breach of discipline.

or

10967 the veteran underwent cardiac or thoracic surgery within the 30 days immediately before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration for treatment of an illness or injury which is identifiable.

10968  the identified illness or injury for which cardiac or thoracic surgery was undergone is causally related to operational service.

Clinical onset and eligible service [10964]

10967 the veteran underwent cardiac or thoracic surgery within the 30 days immediately before the clinical onset of the condition under consideration for treatment of an illness or injury which is identifiable.

10969  the identified illness or injury for which cardiac or thoracic surgery was undergone is causally related to eligible service.