Flying after surgery??

[pablo]

How long after having an FUE procedure can you travel by air? Thanks

[Dr. Lindsey]

There is no restriction on flying after surgery. BUT, if a patient has been in the chair all day, there are some potential increases in the risk for deep venous thrombosis. This PROBABLY applies to females, smokers, and patients on hormonal therapy more than to the average man. Nevertheless, we make our patients get up and walk around every 2 hours to get the circulation going in the deep tissues.

If someone were to want to fly overseas after the procedure, I'd suggest they spend the night and then leave tomorrow. But for a short flight we don't have a problem.

Today for example, we have a military man from Afganistan who flew in yesterday, met me, spent the night and we are doing a smallish case which we should finish around 2pm. He is catching a 2 hour flight at 6pm. I don't have a problem with that...except that I prefer folks to stay the first night just in case they have questions or want to see me the next day. More of an issue for me is that he is going back to the mid east next week and will have his sutures out in theatre, rather than by me at day 7. I prefer to take out my own sutures AND do a scar check at 3 weeks just to make sure things are going normally.

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[gillenator]

How long after having an FUE procedure can you travel by air? Thanks

IMHO, the issue is not one that can be answered in a time specific manner. It all depends on "how well you followed your post-op instructions" and even more importantly, "how you look the next morning". For example, let's say your FUE doc did not utilize uny punches larger than .50 mm and you clotted well, scabs are well intact, no excessive drinking, no excessive bleeding, then IMO, by all means fly home.

On the other hand, let's say you went out to celebrate that evening, had a few too many, then took a few extra aspirins for the pain, had intercourse, and on top of that, your doc used 1mm plus sized punches. Let's say you did not clot well so you bled all over your pillow and still had enough bleeding and oozing going on the next morning.

See the difference? Do patients sometimes go out and party anyway on the night of their surgery to celebrate even when they are are warned against it? It may not be the norm, but it can and does happen now and then.