Traveling With A Medical Implant
And ways to deal with it.
The Old Days-
The very first time I was on an airplane I don’t think my mouth was ever closed- my jaw was agape on the whole trip.
What does one expect from a 10 year old on his first airplane ride?
It was only a two hour trip from Laguardia airport in New york City to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The date was 25 June, 1953.
Of course, I remembered it well. Life was so much simpler then.
Flash forward to the date 9/11/2001.
Nothing would ever be the same again.
In the year 2007 my knee, riddled with scar tissue resulting from many invasive surgical procedures spoke to me. It said, I give up.
A few weeks later I received a new Titanium, High Density Plastic and Silicone knee.
I am still amazed over what can be done to restore near total knee function to a destroyed knee.
After several weeks of therapy my physical therapist bid me adieu.
Her warnings of no hang-gliding, no parachuting and no jumping from more than a two foot wall were firmly embedded in my mind.
After my inaugural plane ride in 1953 I found myself flying frequently, easily attaining 50,000 or more miles a year.
The first flight after my surgery was from New York’s Laguardia airport to Milwaukee , Wisconsin. I had made the flight at least a dozen times.
Passing through the metal detecting portal the alarms sounded.
A TSA agent took me by the arm and said without any attempt at politeness, “ Over here. Stand right there.”
The agent asked me if I had removed all metal, pens, pencils, keys, money clip, paper of any kind, pocket change and wallet, to which I told him that I had.
A New York City police officer came over to observe.
The first TSA guy said he was going to pat me down and offered me the use of a private examination room to which I declined.
I was instructed to remove my belt even though It contained no metal. My shoes were already in a plastic tub along with my jacket and my carry-on bag.
I thought I new what the issue was but hesitated to interrupt their protocol. These folks were serious. One came over with a hand wand metal detector and began to run it over my body. When it got to my knee a loud constant buzzer sounded. He put the wand down and felt all around the knee.
“Implant?” he asked. I nodded. “How long ago?” he asked. “Six weeks.” I said. He nodded and went to where everything in my carry-on was spread out on the table.
“Anything?” he asked the guy at the table. The guy said, “Nothing.”
The TSA agent conducting the pat down ran a swab over my palms and subjected the swab to some sort of analytical device. He waited for the results, returned to me and said,
“In the future, notify the agent at the portal scanner that you have an implant. It’ll save you a few steps in the expanded security check. You will still have to go through the routine and pat down. You’re good to go.”
I gathered all my stuff and headed to the gate.
Transportation Security Pre-Check
Subsequent to my first travel with a medical implant I applied for a “ Known Traveler Number (KTN)” status, a TSA designation which allows for streamlining through airport security stations. Removing belts, shoes and sometimes lap-top computers and electronic tablets may not be required. The lines are always shorter for travelers holding the known traveler status.
The application and review process normally takes less than an hour. At this writing the charge for the convenience is a one time $80.00.
It’s worth it for anyone flying more than once a year or so.
Travel with an implant can be less annoying if one develops a travel routine. I have learned to do the following even with Known Traveler status: I wear loose clothing with no belt, slip-on shoes, and even though it may not be required I remove a jacket or a sweater.
I also remove my lap-top and tablet since I know from experience that if they are in my carry-on they will, as a result of my further examination due to the body scanner alert be removed- my carry-on searched.
Before I approach the security station I make sure that my water bottle is empty. I always carry an 8” X 10” mesh Nylon bag with a zip closure. My wallet, cash, forwarding flight paperwork, extra glasses, tissue pack, mints, nasal spray, ear buds, note pads and pens go into the mesh bag and then into the carry-on bag.
The only thing in my hands or in my clothing at that point is my ID and my boarding pass.
When my ID and boarding pass are inspected at the checkpoint I notify the agent that I have an implant. If a full body scanner is available the agent will direct me towards that rather than the more conventional metal sensing portal.
The body scanner is quick- only a few seconds. The scanner picks up any density including my implant. The security agent at the scanner exit pats me down while looking at the scanner information screen. If I were wearing a belt its removal would be required.
As far as electronics are concerned I recommend that if lap-tops do not require being removed from a carry-on that the lap-top be given to someone traveling with you. They can put it in their carry-on going on the conveyor belt X ray. This, of course is as long as that person doesn’t have an implant as well.
Following this procedure saves your carry-on and lap-top from being scrutinized needlessly.
It’s here to stay.
Unfortunately the need for enhanced security against terror type threats is with us permanently. The inconveniences of having a medical implant further complicate our lives when traveling by air.
I hope that those of you with such a condition will benefit from my experiences.
Thanks for reading.
