Definition
A surgical procedure in which a person's diseased heart is removed and replaced with a donor human heart (heart transplant) or, in some cases, a mechanical device. Under FAA medical certification rules, a history of heart replacement is a specifically disqualifying condition that requires a special issuance authorization before the pilot may hold any class of medical certificate.
Plain English
An operation where a person's heart is taken out and replaced with another one. The FAA treats this as a serious medical event, so a pilot who has had it cannot fly until the FAA reviews the case and grants special permission.
Context Anchor
Seen when reviewing medical conditions that must be reported during an FAA medical certificate application.
Why Pilots Care
The procedure directly affects whether a pilot can legally exercise the privileges of their pilot certificate.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as any heart procedure. Heart replacement means the heart itself was replaced; it is different from a bypass, stent, pacemaker, or valve repair.
Example Sentence 1
Because of his heart replacement five years earlier, the pilot had to apply for a special issuance medical certificate rather than a standard one.
Example Sentence 2
After successful recovery from heart replacement, the pilot submitted additional cardiac testing to request a special issuance medical certificate.