Is your FAA medical denied because of a colostomy bag? Having a history of ileostomy or colostomy may not necessarily mean you are ineligible for a Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate. An applicant with an ileostomy or colostomy may receive FAA consideration in some circumstances and qualify for aeromedical certification.
In situations where the airman has a history of colon cancer, the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners specifically enumerates various situations and stages in which the disease/condition should affect the AME’s decision making process for issuance of a medical certification. For example, if the airman has non metastatic colon cancer and treatment completed five (5) or more years prior, and there has been no recurrence or ongoing treatment, the AME may issue a medical certificate. To that end, if the airman had a pedunculated cancerous polyp (adenocarcinoma) that was removed by colonoscopy less that five (5) years prior to the flight physical, the AME may issue a medical certificate if a status report shows that there was only a local lesion (TNM stage 0 or I), complete resection with no additional treatment needed, follow up is annual or less frequent, and there are no clinical concerns.
The attorneys at The Ison Law Firm are well versed in the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners, as well as the applicable Federal Aviation Regulations under Part 67. While 14 CFR Part 67 does not specifically speak to airmen with a history of colostomy, the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners does briefly discuss these matters. For those airmen that have successfully recovered from a history of cancer but require ileostomy or colostomy, the FAA will require a report from the airman’s physician to confirm that the applicant has fully recovered from the surgery and is completely asymptomatic. Oftentimes, however, the FAA will require additional information on the underlying cause for the airman’s usage of a colostomy bag.
Is your FAA medical denied because of a colostomy bag or the underlying reasons thereof, call the FAA attorneys at The Ison Law Firm. We are happy to evaluate your case and discuss with you a plan for presenting your case for consideration by the Federal Air Surgeon. Aviation law is all we do. Nothing else.