Doctor, Will My Surgical Hardware Set Off Metal Detector in the Airport?

Abstract

Objective Verify if routinely used metallic implants (stainless steel, aluminum alloy, cobalt-chromium-molybdenum, and titanium made) will be detected in an international airport of Brazil and generate helpful information to prevent patient inconvenience and to support the security regulatory agencies.

Methods An experimental, non-randomized, controlled, cross-over study was performed by recruiting two individuals, one male and one female, to pass through a standard airport metal detector with orthopedic implants attached to the body. Implants with different compositions, weight, and in various parts of the body were tested.

Results From all implants tested, there was no detection of implants for internal fixation, whether steel or titanium. The external fixator was detected and the only difference in composition is that the external fixator tested have aluminum alloy. All hip replacement implants tested were detected. Two knee replacement implants were tested, and both were made of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum, but with different specifications and only one of them was detected.

Conclusions In this study with ex-vivo orthopedic implants, we have found that osteosynthesis implants composed by Stainless Steel ISO 5832-1 did not trigger the airport walk-through metal detector. However, external fixator and total joint prostheses were more frequently detected.

Keywords

airports - internal fracture fixation - metals - patient education as topic - prosthesis and implants

• Referências

• 1 Dines JS, Elkousy H, Edwards TB, Gartsman GM, Dines DM. Effect of total shoulder replacements on airport security screening in the post-9/11 era. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2007; 16 (04) 434-437
• 2 Obremskey WT, Austin T, Crosby C. et al. Detection of orthopaedic implants by airport metal detectors. J Orthop Trauma 2007; 21 (02) 129-132
• 3 Ramirez MA, Rodriguez EK, Zurakowski D, Richardson LC. Detection of orthopaedic implants in vivo by enhanced-sensitivity, walk-through metal detectors. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2007; 89 (04) 742-746
• 4 Kuczmarski AS, Harris AP, Gil JA, Owens BD. Sensitivity of Airport Metal Detectors to Orthopaedic Implants. JBJS Rev 2018; 6 (07) e7
• 5 Kimura A, Jinno T, Tsukada S, Matsubara M, Koga H. Detection of total hip prostheses at airport security checkpoints. J Orthop Sci 2020; 25 (02) 255-260
• 6 Issa K, Pierce TP, Gwam C, Festa A, Scillia AJ, Mont MA. Detection of total hip arthroplasties at airport security checkpoints - how do updated security measures affect patients?. Hip Int 2018; 28 (02) 122-124
• 7 Issa K, Pierce TP, Gwam C. et al. Detection of Total Knee Arthroplasties at Airport Security Checkpoints: How Do Updated Security Measures Affect Patients?. J Knee Surg 2017; 30 (06) 532-534
• 8 Johnson AJ, Naziri Q, Hooper HA, Mont MA. Detection of total hip prostheses at airport security checkpoints: how has heightened security affected patients?. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2012; 94 (07) e44
• 9 Abbassian A, Datla B, Brooks RA. Detection of orthopaedic implants by airport metal detectors. Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2007; 89 (03) 285-287
• 10 TSA. What are the procedures if I have an internal or external medical device, such as a pacemaker or metal implant?. [accessed 13th September, 2022]. Available from: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/what-are-procedures-if-i-have-internal-or-external-medical-device
• 11 Chan JY, Mani SB, Williams PN. et al. Detection of In Vivo Foot and Ankle Implants by Walkthrough Metal Detectors. Foot Ankle Int 2014; 35 (08) 789-795
• 12 Naziri Q, Johnson AJ, Hooper HA, Sana SH, Mont MA. Detection of total knee prostheses at airport security checkpoints. J Arthroplasty 2012; 27 (06) 1228-1233