Is it safe to fly 5 hours 5 days after surgery? Is there risk of blood clots?

Question

Hello, I have an upcoming lipo 360 procedure coming up and I have anxiety about flying home when it comes to blood clot risk. My procedure is in Miami and I live in Oregon. The flight will be about 5hrs. Is 5 days after surgery enough time to go home, or should I wait longer?

Yasemin Aydinli, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question, and your concern is a sensible one. For lipo 360 alone, flying home on day 5 is generally acceptable, and a 5 hour flight is manageable at that stage. That said, if your schedule allows, I would favor waiting until day 7. By then swelling and discomfort have settled further, you are walking more comfortably, and most early complications have already declared themselves, so you travel with more peace of mind. Clot risk is also not determined by the procedure alone, it depends a great deal on your overall health. Your age, weight, whether you smoke, use hormonal contraception or hormone therapy, any personal or family history of clotting, and how mobile you are after surgery all matter more than the exact day you fly. Your surgeon should assess these factors before surgery and tell you whether a short course of blood thinning injections around the flight is appropriate for you. For the flight itself, wear your compression garment and compression stockings, get up and walk every hour, stay well hydrated and avoid alcohol. If your recovery is uneventful and your surgeon clears you at your final check, you can travel safely.

Jacob Carlson, MD · Answer

This is a great question. Practicing in Miami, we have a lot of patients who come from out of town to have surgery. I require my patients from out of town to stay here AT LEAST one week after surgery. For a case such as yours, that allows patient to complete a few sessions of lymphatic massage, allows me to see them a few times after surgery, allows us to remove drains. And, most importantly, it gives me the opportunity to make sure that patients are recovering appropriately before they travel back home.
The risk for a blood clot (DVT) after liposuction 360 isn't quite as high as an abdominoplasty, but the risk isn't 0%. Prolonged immobility (such as being on an airplane or riding in a car) is a risk factor for blood clots in everyone, not just a surgical patient. So, in addition to waiting at least a week, I also have my patients walk up and down the aisle of the airplane, or get out of the car and walk for a few minutes, at least once an hour during the travel if they are returning home any time in the first three weeks after surgery.
Hope your surgery goes well, and safe travels!

George Marosan, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. There's a risk of blood clots that can travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. This risk diminishes over time, but it can happen even up to 30 days if the person is not ambulatory. Sitting in a plane for 5 hours is definitely a set up for such an event. I advise that you wear compression stockings, get up walk around every hour, do toe lifts. Also, you will be in a compression garment that can aggravate the situation in a sitting position. I personally use drains with lipo 360 and if your surgeon does employ them, they might not be ready to be pulled in 5 days. The other option is to stay around for 10 days. Lipo 360 degrees is an advanced procedure if it is done correctly. I'm sure you can find board certified plastic surgeons who perform this well in your local geographic area. Why take the risk? Good luck with your surgery.

Is it safe to fly 5 hours 5 days after surgery? Is there risk of blood clots?

Answers (3)

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