Peptic Ulcer of the Stomach and Duodenum at the Military Board
Reviewed by the LabReadAI medical team
The short answer: peptic ulcer disease prevents conscription. Article 58 of the Schedule of Diseases is built so that even its mildest clause — «v», minor functional impairment with rare exacerbations — gives category V in column I. There is no clause here that leaves you fit. This sets ulcer apart from gastritis, which in ordinary cases leaves you serving.
Which fitness category peptic ulcer yields
| What the records show | Clause | Column I (conscription) |
|---|---|---|
| Significant functional impairment: penetration, pyloroduodenal stenosis, consequences of resection | «a» | D — unfit |
| Moderate impairment and frequent exacerbations; giant ulcers | «b» | V — limited fitness |
| Minor functional impairment and rare exacerbations | «v» | V — limited fitness |
The numbers of clause «b»
The regulation states them directly:
Clause «b» covers: peptic ulcer disease with frequent (2 or more times a year) ulcer relapses over the past 2 years; peptic ulcer disease with giant (3 cm or more in the stomach or 2 cm or more in the duodenum) ulcers…
Two independent grounds: relapse frequency or ulcer size. For a conscript the difference between «b» and «v» does not change the category — both give V. It matters in column III, where «b» gives "B (V - IND)" and «v» plain B.
What belongs to clause «a»
peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum complicated by penetration, stenosis of the pyloroduodenal zone (retention of contrast medium in the stomach for more than 24 hours), accompanied by impairment…
Here a measurable criterion of stenosis appears — retention of contrast in the stomach for more than 24 hours. The same clause covers the consequences of vagotomy with gastrointestinal anastomosis where digestion is significantly impaired.
Ulcer remission does not remove you from the article
The regulation states separately for those assessed under columns I and II — that is, conscripts — that with peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum the conclusion is issued regardless of the length and stability of remission. Years without exacerbations do not restore fitness; they merely place the case in a milder clause, which still gives category V.
For contract servicemen the regulation provides a separate, more lenient logic where there is minor deformity of the duodenal bulb with rare exacerbations.
Endoscopy: how the diagnosis is confirmed
The presence of peptic ulcer disease must be confirmed by mandatory endoscopic examination and (or) radiological examination under hypotonia.
The word "mandatory" is key: an entry saying "peptic ulcer" without endoscopy or radiography under hypotonia is not grounds for the article. Cicatricial changes of the duodenal bulb found on endoscopy also serve as confirmation of a past ulcer.
Ulcer and gastritis: different articles
They are often conflated, yet the outcomes are opposite. Gastritis and gastroduodenitis are assessed under article 59, where an ordinary course is clause «v» and category B-3 — you serve. Peptic ulcer is article 58, with category V as the minimum. The wording of the diagnosis therefore has direct consequences, and it is worth ensuring the endoscopy report says exactly what is there. More on the neighbouring article on the page about gastritis and conscription.
What your records must contain
- An endoscopy report describing the ulcer or cicatricial changes and their size.
- Radiography under hypotonia where endoscopy was not performed.
- A two-year relapse history with dates — for clause «b» frequency decides.
- Ulcer size in centimetres — thresholds of 3 cm in the stomach and 2 cm in the duodenum.
- Discharge summaries and details of any complications.
- Helicobacter status: H. pylori testing establishes the cause and shapes treatment.
- The chart code is K29 for gastroduodenal disease.
What is usually missing
- There are symptoms and treatment but no endoscopy — the diagnosis is formally unconfirmed.
- The report omits the ulcer size, which forms a separate ground under clause «b».
- There are no relapse dates for the past two years.
- The report says "erosions" rather than an ulcer: different findings under different articles.
- Peptic ulcer and gastritis are not distinguished; what lies behind the symptoms is covered in the piece on gastritis.
Questions for your doctor
- Has peptic ulcer disease been confirmed endoscopically, and when?
- What size of ulcer or cicatricial change is stated in the report?
- How many relapses are documented over the past two years?
- Are there signs of complications — penetration, stenosis?
- Was Helicobacter testing done and eradication prescribed?
Digestive conditions at departmental boards
The above concerns assessment under Government Decree No. 565. The Interior Ministry, National Guard, Federal Security Service and Emergencies Ministry use their own schedules of diseases with their own requirements. A review under article 58 shows how complete your records are but is not their regulation.
The short version
Peptic ulcer is a rare article with no "fit" clause: category V at minimum, and long remission does not change that. The numbers only determine how severe the clause is: frequent relapses and giant ulcers lead to «b», complications to «a» and category D. But all of it works only with endoscopic or radiological confirmation, which is most often what is missing. Only the military medical board determines the fitness category.
For informational purposes only
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a healthcare professional for medical guidance.