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You've recovered from knee replacement surgery and are ready for a relaxing vacation. However, certain types of joint implants can trigger airport security alarms. Do knee replacements set off metal detectors? Well, it is best to expect security screening to discover implants.
Airport security screening measures' sensitivity has immensely increased during the past decade, but several reports have examined how this affects patients with artificial joints. Over 90 percent of implanted total hip and knee arthroplasty devices will trigger airport metal detectors.
With varying levels of security in airports worldwide and varying clearance provided by TSA Precheck or Clear, patients with a new joint may set off the detector in one city but not another. Joint replacement surgery is increasingly in demand as national healthcare systems confront an ever-aging population. This, in turn, affects air travel; more specifically, unwanted and significant inconveniences are caused to travelers going through airport security.
Here's what you need to know to make your security trip smooth.
Of the 143 patients suffering from hip replacements who traveled by air, 120 (84 percent) reported setting off the alarm and required wanding with a handheld detector.
Twenty-five of these patients stated subsequently having to undergo further inspection, such as additional wanding, being patted down, and, in two instances, having to undress in a private room to present the incision.
Ninety-nine (69 percent) of the 143 patients reported that the prosthetic joint caused an inconvenience while traveling.
In another similar study that was designed to characterize the airport metal detection's efficacy of total knee prostheses, the delays encountered, any inconvenience this might have caused, and the role of implant identification cards, 97 total knee arthroplasty recipients stated going through an airport metal detector, with 70 setting off the alarm a mean of 3 times (range, 1 to 36). A single-knee prosthesis activated airport security alarms more than 83 percent of the time and increased patient inconvenience. Patients must be informed about this chance and be prepared to present documentation of their prostheses.
According to the American Society for Hip and Knee Surgeons, a card or note from your physician is optional for the identification of these types of implants. However, based on a study examining the effects of the increase in air travel for aging patients, looking specifically at the impact of artificial joints on travel, both airport security officers and patients concluded that joint replacement implant identification cards streamline airport security checks and decrease the need for more invasive searches at airport security.
However, even with such a note, a traveler may still experience some level of inconvenience and should be cautioned beforehand to prepare for travel delays and give themselves extra time at the airport. If a person has a metal implant, it is advisable to inform the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer before screening begins that you have had a hip or knee replacement and to point to the location of the implant.
Passengers can utilize the TSA's Notification Card to communicate discreetly with security officers. Showing this card or telling the TSA officer won't exempt a passenger from the screening. Instead, the passenger will be instructed to undergo the body scan machine. Many individuals prefer to be screened by the body scan to lessen the likelihood of a pat-down being necessary.
Because of the necessity for airport security, passengers with artificial joints will likely experience more inconvenience when traveling. To ease discomfort, it is recommended that security personnel be informed in advance.
Although only some people are asked for proof of their surgery, the orthopedic surgeon can give a card that confirms you're using an artificial joint. These cards identify the holder as having a joint replacement and state that the implant may set off metal detection devices. Keep your joint replacement card when you travel in case you need to present proof of your implant.
Though the metal implant can cause inconvenience by triggering the alarm, it does not cause any additional harm to your body. Metal detectors use an electromagnetic field that contains no harmful radiation. However, if you do trigger the metal alarm, X-ray machines are increasingly used in many airports, and they use very low levels of ionizing radiation.
It's perfectly safe to kneel on a knee replacement once the incision is completely healed. However, most people find it relatively uncomfortable. If you're going to kneel, it's recommended that you put a pad or pillow beneath your knee to make it more comfortable.
Currently, there are no regulations in security screening for those who have implants, including plates, screws, nails, and joint replacement in their body.
The advice is that there is a good chance that they will set off the metal arch. If that happens, you will have to undergo a secondary screening (X-ray machine; handheld detector) irrespective of whether you have an ID card, a clinic note, or even a scar in that region.
The sensitivity of the metal detectors ranges from 1 to 15, but in some countries, it is 0 to 99. It is normally kept at around 5; however, the sensitivity will increase with an increased security threat. Suppose the sensitivity of the metal detectors is increased.
In that case, they will detect smaller amounts of metal in your body, which could be why some arch metal detectors detect your implant. The handheld metal detectors are usually more sensitive than the arch ones, and they find the implants more easily.
Depending on the type of implant used, implants with a higher iron content are easily detected. However, the detection rate for modern implants is quite variable. The cobalt-chromium alloy commonly used in joint replacement is easily detected compared to titanium and stainless-steel implants.
The heavier the metal implant used in the body, the easier it is to detect. Depending on the type of joint replacement used, the weight could range from 130 g to 3 kg. There is a good chance of setting off the alarms if you have a joint replacement, have a rod in the bone, or have a big plate with more than ten holes.
There is conflict in reports based on your body mass index, with some data showing that if you weigh a lot, the chances of the detector finding the implant are lower. However, some studies have shown that metal detectors are sensitive regardless of your weight. The implants used in the upper limb and under the foot and ankle, especially plates and screws, are not that easily detected when compared to joint replacement and the intramedullary rod.
It is better to carry the details of the implant used in your body in the form of medical documentation that describes its location, composition, and why it was used.
Isolated screws, metal wires, suture clips, and staples were not detected in the majority of the arch detectors.
Your knee replacement surgeon will choose the implant that best fits your needs. The prosthesis will weigh more than the bone that is removed. The weight will differ according to your size, but it may generally weigh one to two pounds.
For total knee replacement, the detection rate is around 70%. For total hip replacement, the detection rate is around 30%. For intramedullary rods and for plates and screws, the detection rate is around 40% in an arched metal detector.
Do you want to know more about knee replacements and life after a knee replacement surgery? Please reach out to us today!