Statement of Principles concerning mitral valve prolapse No. 12 of 2003 (Cth)

Instrument No.12 of 2003

Determination

of

Statement of Principles

concerning

MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

1. This Statement of Principles is determined by the Repatriation Medical Authority under subsection 196B(3) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the Act).

Kind of injury, disease or death

2.         (a)       This Statement of Principles is about mitral valve prolapse and death from mitral valve prolapse.

(b)For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, “mitral valve prolapse” means a structural disorder of the mitral valve apparatus in which there is systolic displacement of an abnormally thickened or redundant mitral leaflet into the left atrium, and which has been confirmed by echocardiographic studies.  Mitral valve prolapse is also known as floppy mitral valve.

This definition of mitral valve prolapse excludes:

(i)mitral valve displacement or billowing of the anterior mitral valve leaflet identified only in the 4-chamber apical view;

(ii)isolated mitral regurgitation in the absence of echocardiographic evidence of mitral valve prolapse;

(iii)mitral valve disorder due to rheumatic heart disease; or

(iv)flail mitral valve leaflets.

(c)Mitral valve prolapse attracts ICD-10-AM code I34.1.

(d)In the application of this Statement of Principles, the definition of “mitral valve prolapse” is that given at para 2(b) above.

Basis for determining the factors

3.         After examining the available sound medical-scientific evidence the Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that it is more probable than not on the sound medical-scientific evidence available, that the only factor that can be related to the cause of or material contribution to or aggravation of mitral valve prolapse or death from mitral valve prolapse and which can be related to relevant service is that set out in clause 4.

Factors that must be related to service

4.         The factor that must exist before it can be said that, on the balance of probabilities, in relation to the circumstances of a person’s relevant service causing or materially contributing to or aggravating mitral valve prolapse or death from mitral valve prolapse is inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for mitral valve prolapse.

Other definitions

5.         For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“death from mitral valve prolapse” in relation to a person includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person’s mitral valve prolapse;

“ICD-10-AM code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Third Edition, effective date of 1 July 2002, copyrighted by the National Centre for Classification in Health, Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 1 86487 413 9;

“relevant service” means:

(a)       eligible war service (other than operational service); or

(b)       defence service (other than hazardous service);

“terminal event” means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes:

(a)       pneumonia;

(b)       respiratory failure;

(c)       cardiac arrest;

(d)       circulatory failure; or

(e)       cessation of brain function.

Dated this       Seventh              day of              April         2003

The Common Seal of the    )

Repatriation Medical Authority                   )

was affixed to this instrument   )

in the presence of:   )

KEN DONALD

CHAIRMAN