Travelling After Surgery: What Do I Need to Know?
Organizing a medical treatment or surgical procedure requires careful planning. For patients travelling outside of their home country for care, this planning should incorporate the trip home with post treatment care as well.
When planning a surgical vacation, it is especially important to consider how and when you will get home. Whether you are choosing a plane, train or automobile, it is important to factor in your comfort levels and recovery time into the return travel plans.
Considerations When Travelling After Surgery
Medical tourism covers a broad range of treatments and procedures. Each of these will come along with a different level of recovery time. In some cases, you might be good to travel after a day or two, while other, more invasive procedures might take weeks.
Consult Your Medical Team: Your surgeon and medical team have your best interests in mind. It’s important to share your travel plans with medical experts and take their advice. Physicians will offer insight into what to expect while travelling and ensure that you are cleared for travel before your return trip home. Speak to the medical team that performed your procedure, as well as your physician at home.
Consider Your Comfort: It is common to experience some level of discomfort after a procedure. During a long road trip, patients may experience stiffness or soreness. It is important to stretch legs regularly in order to help with circulation and gentle movement. When flying, book seats according to your needs. Window seats might be more appealing to most passengers, but when recovering from surgery, an aisle seat or exit row is the better choice. Navigating layovers can be more difficult than choosing a direct flight.
Accessible Medications: Make sure that all medications and doctor’s notes are accessible during travel. During air travel, notify the cabin crew of your situation. Keep all medications, like pain pills and antibiotics, on hand in carry-on luggage for easy access. In the event that there is a language barrier, ask medical staff to write a note in English and the language of your host-country to ensure that the message is being received.
Air Travel & Pressure Changes: Changes in pressure can impact open wounds and cause increased pain. After surgery, patients have a higher oxygen requirement than normal. In a reduced pressure environment, this might force the body to work harder to get the right amount of oxygen. Low-pressure environments will also cause gas expansion in the body. If your procedure involved the addition of gas into the body, this might cause additional discomfort or even cause unexpected bleeding.
Consider Cleanliness: When travelling, we come in contact with many high-touch surfaces that can harbour bacteria. Planes in particular have a high number of people on-board and that means exposure to germs. Carrying antiseptic wipes, sanitizer and even a face mask can help to ward off potential contaminants that might cause infections or put you at risk of illness.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): Surgery increases the risk of blood clots. Sitting still for hours during a plane, car, or train ride can increase these risks even further. Getting up and walking during the travel day, wearing compression socks and taking prescribed blood thinners are ways to prevent injury.
Stay Hydrated: It is easy to forget about the basics when managing recovery and medications. Staying hydrated (especially during travel) will help to limit fatigue. Make sure to carry additional water with you and ask your medical team about options for hydration boosters.
Consult Your Insurance Coverage: It is a good idea to consult your insurance provider before finalizing travel plans. Travelling too soon after a procedure can have an impact on your insurance coverage. Discuss your travel plans and itinerary with your insurance provider to ensure a smooth trip.
