Southwest and back surgery

[Goofydaddave]

Ok i have 4 3 inch titanium screws in my back from previous surgery...Whats the protocol for metal detectors now at airports?? Havent flown since surgery..Appreciate any help...(and yes my back is doing great!)

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Don't surgeons give wallet cards for people? I have a coworker whose had a hip replacement and they gave her a card, not only for airports but with the exact name/type/date for her own records.

 

[goofyforlife]

my co-worker has titanium screws in her knee/leg.

Her surgeon insisted that she won't set off alarms at the airport.

He told her titanium is different from metal.

 

[poohbear7]

My husband has titanium screw in his wrist and he has no trouble going through the metal detectors. Surgeon said he wouldn't set of the alarm and he hasn't.

 

[mrsstats]

My husband had neck surgery in Nov. We flew in March. No problem with the screws. His dr said the same thing, the titanium dont set off the alarms.

 

[CarolA]

my co-worker has titanium screws in her knee/leg.

Her surgeon insisted that she won't set off alarms at the airport.

He told her titanium is different from metal.

My titianium car key sets the thing off.... (I think the bigger issue is that the screws are pretty "buried" in your body so the machine doesn't always pick them up.)

However, if you tell the TSA agent what the issue is they will scan your Back, arm whatever and verify and let you go...

While the TSA will not admit this, most Frequent Flyers KNOW they can turn those machines up and down. So one week you may slide right through and the next week your pins are setting off the alarm, just go with the flow.

 

[DVC-Don]

I've got this stuff holding a heel together and I've never set off a detector.

 

[ktglads]

I have a titanium IM rod and several screws in my leg. Even when I set off the alarm (rarely and probably due more to clothing than the hardware), the rod does not set off the hand wand, but the screws do.

Worst case scenario, you set off the alarm and get hand searched. They will wand you down and you can tell that TSA that you have hardware in your back and may set off the detector. More than likely they will pat you down just to ensure you have nothing strapped to your body. This takes no more than 10 minutes extra, so really not a big deal if you allow yourself ample amount of time to get through security

 

[Goofydaddave]

thanks for the info ..sounds like its no biggee... txs!!

 

[paults]

I had cages put into my back in 2002 and rods and screws put in in 2003.and never set off any alarms. In one week I'm having the rods and screws removed because of a lot of pain. They should come out anyway.

I never had or was giving a card for using on the airlines.

 

[kmjmom]

I had a plate and 6 screws in my arm and they never set off an alarm.

 

[seashoreCM]

At the very least you should tell the security agent that you have these metal objects in you (or show a letter or card describing the metal objects).

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[bekkiz]

I had spinal fusion as L5-S1 in January (so, just about 7 months post-op) and I havd a cage and screws. I also have 3 small pins in my wrist from a surgery in 2000.

I've flown a TON in the last two months, including international, and have not set of any detectors. My doctor said that once the bone envelops the hardware, the detectors don't detect it Also, the metals they use now have to be able to go in an MRI machine, so they use ones that aren't as magnetic. (I think!)

 

[pezheadmeg]

I have 7 pieces in the ankle and flew for the first time less than 6 weeks after I had the ankle surgery. I had a dental implant put in last year, flew 8 days after having it put in, stitches had just dissolved themselves the previous day. I've never set off an airport metal detector due to my titatinum parts. However, I do make sure I have the card from the orthopedist identifying that I have the hardware with me whenever I go through a metal detector just to be on the safe side. It's the size of a business card and I'd rather be safer than sorry.