How Long To Travel After Surgery?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Type of Surgery Time required before flying
Cataract surgery


24 hours
Arthroscopic surgery Two weeks Hip replacement Three months Laparoscopic surgery Four to five days

Can I travel 3 weeks after surgery?


There is a risk of clotting for up to 4-6 weeks after surgery for all patients

, but flying long distances aggravates this problem further. As a result, those who travel such distances may be subject to enhanced preventive measures after their procedure.

How long should you wait to get on a plane after surgery?

As a rough guide, before flying, you should allow:

1-2 days after arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery

. 1-2 days after a plaster cast has been applied.

Can I travel by car after surgery?

If you are using a car or taking the train to get to and from your surgery,

your travel restrictions are significantly reduced and you may be able to go home sooner

. If you are planning to fly, however, you will need to plan to stay in the area longer and take extra precautions for the flight home.

How long after surgery Are you at risk for blood clots?

When you stop moving, blood flows more slowly in your deep veins, which can lead to a clot. You’re most likely to get a clot

between 2 and 10 days

after your surgery, but your odds are higher for about 3 months.

Can I travel after laparoscopic surgery?

Similarly,

it is advisable to avoid flying for approximately 24 hours after laparoscopic intervention

, due to the residual CO2 gas, which may be in the intra-abdominal cavity. Neurosurgical intervention may leave gas trapped within the skull, which again may expand at altitude.

Can flying after surgery cause blood clots?

Usually, blood clots aren’t dangerous in and of themselves. But

a clot that forms in the deep veins of the leg can be deadly if it breaks off, travels to the lungs and creates a blockage known as a pulmonary embolism

. “I would certainly say that the highest risk is in the first four weeks” after surgery, Seides said.

How long before I can fly after vitrectomy?

Following retinal detachment surgery, it is important that

flying is completely avoided until your eye has fully healed

. This is usually for 3 to 4 weeks after surgery but possibly longer after some retinal detachment surgeries. Sometimes during surgery a gas bubble is used to help keep the retina in place.

Can you ride in a car after a hysterectomy?


You may ride in a car

; as always, wear a seat belt any time you are riding in or driving a car. Some surgeons recommend avoiding long trips by car, train, or airplane during the first two weeks after major gynecologic surgery (such as hysterectomy) to avoid complications, such as blood clots in your legs.

Do you get put to sleep for keyhole surgery?

Laparoscopy is performed under general anaesthetic, so

you’ll be unconscious during the procedure and have no memory of it

. You can often go home on the same day.

How soon can you travel after rotator cuff surgery?

There are no hard and fast rules as to when you should or should not drive, but generally it takes at least two to three weeks after this surgery before patients can drive at all, and it is usually

six to eight weeks

before one can drive well.

Can you fly while on blood thinners?

Should I keep taking them when I travel?

YES! Anticoagulants do not work if they are taken in a haphazard way

– they need to be taken reliably in order to work. If you skip doses or stop taking them for a period of time, your blood can actually become MORE sticky and increase your risk of blocked blood vessels.

Can I travel 5 weeks after abdominoplasty?

The safest answer, in my opinion, is to

wait six weeks

. By that time your incisions (and muscle tightening) will be well healed and there will be no significant restrictions on your activity. Overseas travel can be strenuous and is best done when you don’t have any physical limitations.

How soon can you travel after knee replacement surgery?

Many doctors recommend that you avoid air travel for

at least six weeks

after surgery. A long flight can leave you more vulnerable to DVT. Before any air travel, talk to your surgeon.

Can you travel 2 weeks after breast augmentation?

Follow Your Surgeon’s Recommendations

Every cosmetic surgeon has their own protocols for flying after breast augmentation. However,

the standard guidelines recommend that you wait to fly until you are at least one-week post-op

. The first week of breast augmentation recovery is when most complications occur.

How often should you walk after surgery to prevent blood clots?


Continue walking around your home and changing positions frequently

. If you are on bed rest, exercise your legs every hour and change positions at least every 2 hours.

Does walking prevent blood clots?

Although many people think walking around prevents blood clots,

this is not true

. Moving around and walking are important to keep you well and can help prevent things like pneumonia and bedsores. Walking by itself does not prevent clots.

What are the first signs of a blood clot?

  • Swelling. This can happen in the exact spot where the blood clot forms, or your entire leg or arm could puff up.
  • Change in color. You might notice that your arm or leg takes on a red or blue tinge, or gets or itchy.
  • Pain. …
  • Warm skin. …
  • Trouble breathing. …
  • Lower leg cramp. …
  • Pitting edema. …
  • Swollen, painful veins.

How long will my stomach be swollen after laparoscopy?

Post-surgical bloating and swelling is mostly eased with time. Although most swelling and bloating will clear by 12 weeks, you may find that swelling ebbs and flows for

up to 12 months

after surgery.

How soon can I travel after appendectomy?

“For example, a regular waiting period after a routine appendectomy is

5 to 7 days

, and after a cholecystectomy it is 5 to10 days, depending on how the surgical procedure was executed. After heart surgery, you have to wait for several weeks before flying,” Kainulainen says.

Can I fly after endoscopy?

Depending on the findings of your upper endoscopy, we may recommend that you

avoid traveling for 14 days after your procedure

. Check with your doctor if you are planning any international travel. Some bloating, gas or mild cramping is normal and should diminish.

How does blood clot travel from leg to lungs?

Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a blood clot gets lodged in an artery in the lung, blocking blood flow to part of the lung. Blood clots most often start in the legs and

travel up through the right side of the heart and into the lungs

.

Can you fly with an open wound?

According to the Mayo Clinic,

most injuries are fine to fly with, but some, including those that might put people at a higher risk of blood clots, could be dangerous

. According to Calavan, those types of patients need to check with their doctor before traveling.

What happens if you don’t stay face down after vitrectomy?

For example, facedown positioning has the potential to cause

mesenteric venous obstructions

. Additionally, patients who are hypercoagulable can develop deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.

What can you not do after a vitrectomy?

Wear the eye shield over the operated eye at night and when sleeping for the first week after vitrectomy surgery.

Avoid travelling by flight for a few days post operation

.

Does flying affect eye pressure?


Air travel rarely has any effect on intraocular pressure

(IOP). Because the air pressure within the cabin is carefully regulated as the plane ascends and descends, there is little change in eye pressure. Air travel does affect the volume of gases in the air.

David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.