DVLA - PFO

[RuthT1]

Hi all, I have PFO and a true atrial septum aneurysm. I have surgery booked to close the PFO on 10th November.

I have been told to make the DVLA aware and they said they will investigate. Does anyone know of they take my licence away from me please? Thanks

[JulianM]

There is a relevant BHF web page, linked below.

I don't really understand why you have been asked to contact the DVLA.

An interatrial septal aneurysm (which I have myself, without a PFO) is not of any clinical concern UNLESS there is a PFO, in which case there is an increased risk of stroke. Which, I would have thought, may be one reason why you are getting surgery.

If your surgery is open-chest and your sternum is wired up afterwards (as in bypass surgery, which is why I think that link is relevant), then there will definitely be a period of several weeks when you can't drive, and you should be advised on this by the surgical team, but there may not be any need to tell the DVLA.

There may be further issues depending on what medication you may be taking, especially while getting used to any new medication, but again this is something your surgical team should advise you on.

Hope this helps, and all the best for an uneventful operation and fast recovery!

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo....

[RuthT1 in reply to JulianM]

Thank you so much,

Yes I had a stroke in July this year and they have advised the reason being my heart condition and also a blood disorder.

I am getting the surgery done through the groin as a day procedure. The technology they have now is incredible.

I contacted DVLA to find out if they need to know and they said I need to complete the form. Knowing you have this and are not stopped from driving is incredibly reassuring.

Any health condition is of course scary, but my life has turned upside down over the past couple of months and I'm really scared of losing the independence of driving.

Thank you for replying, it means the world to me

[JulianM in reply to RuthT1]

That does now make more sense to me: it's the fact that you had a stroke, with a risk of further strokes, that is the possible concern for driving. The surgery should reduce that risk so should make things a lot better. Hopefully, the minimally invasive repair means that recovery will be very fast.

[Silvertail in reply to RuthT1]

I have a PFO and atrial septal aneurysm and they won't do anything about it. My cardiologist refused to close it unless I wanted to partake in scuba diving. I guess the shunt isn't bad enough.

[Digger0 in reply to RuthT1]

I had my ASD repaired as an "overnight" day case as I live 2 hrs away from the hospital and you need to stay flat on your back for several hours post procedure. I was fine the next day and have not looked back! I had 2 devices used as my hole had fibres across it. You can see one of the devices that I have outlined in red. They are hand woven from titanium ! The only pain I had was in my throat from having a breathing tube and the transechocardiogram camera down!

Scan of an ASD device in place

[RuthT1]

Thank you, yes only 2 weeks recovery from the surgery they said, but to be careful on exercise etc for a few months after.

I know there will a time after the op that I can't drive, but was so scared they would revoke the licence forever!

I'm driving right now, because it's 1 month after stroke no driving then back to normal

[Anne498]

Hi Ruth, I’m in the middle of this process with the DVLA myself. It’s taken them two months to look at my application and they’re now writing to my specialist just to confirm if they are concerned with my driving. The reason DVLA are looking at my records is because my heart issues cause palpitations. If you want a quick answer from the DVLA call them every couple of weeks, something I hadn’t been doing because I was worried they’d take my license

[Karen1379]

Hi, I went through this 16 years ago. Unfortunately mine was discovered after I suffered a stroke due to Factor V Leiden and the PFO. I notified DVLA as I lost sight in my right eye. I lost my license due to the stoke not the heart issues. I got it back after about 6 months. Hope this helps and good luck.

[Mentdent]

I know a few people who have had PFO repairs with no problem with the DVLA.

[Digger0]

DM sent