airport security after knee replacement surgery

I had both knees replaced 12 years ago, and every airport scan since then has involved a body search, some more invasive than others. Such is travel life with replacement knees. I’ve sometimes alerted security staff before getting scanned, but it hasn’t made things m quicker, easier or harder. After predictably setting off the sensors, I’ve then usually pointed at my knees and said, “Artificial.” The secondary scanning personnel have their procedures, presumably the same if they expect to discover weapons or not. Alerting them to a surgical situation hasn’t changed where on me they feel, for how long, Again, some are more sympathetic and some have been relatively aggressive, but they’re going to search, regardless.

I do not know the correct phrase in Italian, but we just returned from Bologna today. When going through security I simply pointed at my knee and said “knee replacement”. They waved me over to another line to be scanned and searched. Would be good to know correct term, though, so hope somebody else chimes in.

My dh has lots of metal in his body and he is always taken aside for a thorough search in the U.S. The TSA staff aren’t always sensitive or even kind, acting like he might be a threat. I always finish going through security way before he is done.

Hopefully, someone will post the correct phrase, but in 3 trips to Italy I think my husband has just pointed to his knee and they know what to do. I know he never knew a specific phrase.

I don’t know the phrase in Italian, but would not worry. As others have said, pointing works wonders and English is widely spoken. Last month flying home from AMS i just told them and they sent me to a specific line. I just had my second knee done this month and we have a handful of international trips planned.

Yep. What everyone else said. Just point and say knee replacement. I usually say it just before going through the detector, and setting off the alarm. Then just stand where they tell me to and wait while they wand and pat me down. Seems to be the same procedure at any airport I've flown from in the past 10 years. DH always goes through first, and collects all our belongings while I'm getting the extra attention.

Cynthia,

As the others have said, many of the border agents who are dealing with travellers will be able to speak at least some English. I don't know if this is entirely correct, but Google Translate suggests this phrase....

"Ho avuto una sostituzione del ginocchio con parti metalliche."

If you print that on a small card, they should get the idea.

The above says “I have had a knee replacement with metal parts”

You could also point and say “Protesi del ginocchio” (Pro-tazy dell jin-oak-yo) which means “knee prosthetics”

Thank you all for the suggestions. Looking forward to navigating all those Venetian bridges with two working knees.

It doesn't matter what you say in any country including USA, they are going to take you aside and pat you down. You get used to it. At least I've always had women do it. Honestly, the worst part is when they made me take off my hair piece, cause it had hair clips in it. Getting that all back together in front of lots of people was not fun. They also go a beep from my shoulder which had nothing done to it. That was interesting. As the baby boomers get older and older, they are going to do a lot of patting down, until we all die. LOL