Nearly all forms of valve surgery are incompatible with fitness to fly. The biological valves have a small but definite thrombo-embolic risk and are prone to late failure. The prosthetic valves require long-term anticoagulant therapy and carry an una...
Aviation, space, and environmental medicine
Apr 1, 1976
Heart failure has caused sudden incapacitation of pilots in command of commerical airliners. These fatal episodes have occurred in connection with takeoffs and landings, and have resulted in incidents as well as major accidents in which more than 300...