Metal plate in ankle.....security question....

[rwdavis2]

If they do wand someone and that person alarms again due to a metal implant, what then? Can't imagine anything but a hands on . . .

Correct. My wife has a knee replacement and the airports that don't have the scanner giver the full body pat down. Now that I have mine, I just can't wait.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Just wondering if anyone can advise their personal experience regarding a metal plate and airport security? I broke my ankle back in March and am now the proud owner of a plate plus 9 screws. I will be traveling in November and wonder what I should expect at the airport. TIA!!

I have 2 plates & 6 screws in my left ankle & just above the ankle from a break to both the ankle & fibula 13 years ago.. I travel by air often & have never had an issue. The wand picks up the metal more often then the arch scanner does strangely enough.

 

[bellanotte10]

I have lots of plates and screws in my face from a jaw surgery. I remember at my last follow up asking the doctor for a note for airport security. He laughed and said that they use a special metal that does not set off the scanners for these things. Sure enough, it has been 7 years, lots and lots of trips worldwide- and I have never set anything off!

Same with me. My jaw and nose all have screw and plates in them from surgery. My surgeon said I wouldn't need a card due to the metal they used. I wonder if they use a different metal for jaws? I did mention it a few times right after I got it but I was met with blank looks from the TSA agents who just waved me through the scanner anyways.

Never had a problem and have since stopped mentioning it. It's been 2 1/2 years.

 

[MrsBlovesDisney]

I have 2 plates & 6 screws in my left ankle & just above the ankle from a break to both the ankle & fibula 13 years ago.. I travel by air often & have never had an issue. The wand picks up the metal more often then the arch scanner does strangely enough.

Hmmm.....interesting......I DO remember the Orthopedic telling me that the plates they are using today are different than ones used in the past? Apparently they are thicker now.

I had to have a full body pat when I first broke it in March (...... we flew to Disney THE DAY AFTER I broke it....grrrrr)!
Hopefully I can go thru the full body scan and be done with it. We have an autistic son and with so much confusion at security, another pat down just adds to his stress.

We're doing an "adult only" trip in Nov thankfully so I can have a dry run without him!

Thanks again everyone for your advice!!