Is Traveling a Day Before Rhinoplasty Appointment Safe?

Question

I know you've got to stay healthy and rested in the days leading up to your Rhinoplasty appt.  I have a work trip scheduled for 4 days, that will include a 4 hour round trip plane flight, returning the day before my Rhinoplasty appt.  Is this a bad idea?I feel comfortable as long as I keep my immune system boosted while on the trip.  Am I being naive?

David C. Pearson, MD · Answer

Prolonged sitting, such as with air travel, puts anyone at risk for deep vein thrombosis (clots in the deep veins of the legs). This can cause potentially serious problems around the time of surgery.
But surgery itself creates a similar risk. As a result, most surgeons will recommend the use of anti-thrombotic precautions such as SCDs (sequential compression devices), which massage the legs during surgery. This is generally recommended for any procedure in adults under general anesthesia where surgery is expected to last for more than 30 minutes. I actually have a standing order for my patients to receive this during any surgery I perform under anesthesia.
As long as a surgeon uses these simple precautions, it's generally no riskier to have surgery the day after travel.
Travel, by the way, will not weaken your immune system. But I remind patients that air travel is mass transportation. This means that one is touching surfaces that everyone else has touched, too. Seat back tray tables, the overhead bin, and the arm rests have all been contaminated, if you will, by any respiratory viruses the passengers before you have deposited there. Wash your hands often, get your sleep, keep your hands away from your face and you should be just fine.
All the best,
--DCP

Sam Rizk, MD · Answer

Traveling on a plane the day before your rhinoplasty is scheduled poses 
no imminent problem on your surgery. The only concern with flying 4 
hours in either direction would be that you would exhaust your body and 
would risk getting sick. In my opinion, you should try to take it as 
easy as possible in the days leading up to surgery. Still, if this is a 
work obligation that cannot be rescheduled, your surgeon will most 
likely clear you to be traveling on the day before your nose job.

Mehryar (Ray) Taban, MD, FACS · Answer

Assuming you are a healthy individual, it should be okay.  Try to relax and get  some rest the night before surgery.  More important is resting after surgery, although you will be able to start walking around the day after surgery.

William Portuese, MD · Answer

It is perfectly acceptable to be traveling the day prior to your rhinoplasty surgery.  However, patients are instructed to not travel by air for two weeks after their surgery.

Theodore Katz, MD, FACS (retired) · Answer

In our very busy world I see many patients who travel for a living even the day before a procedure.  We all have stories abut catching colds or more in an airplane, so if there is any concern with your travels that you are "coming down" with something call your physician.  Most people do just fine but there's no sense in taking chances. Get a good night's sleep!

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Is Traveling a Day Before Rhinoplasty Appointment Safe?

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