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Is Flight Travel Advisable After A Tonsillectomy?
Question: Hi,
I had a tosillectomy on Decemeber 28th but I am supposed to fly back to college tomorrow which is 10 days post surgery. The flight is only two hours but I did have some bleeding last night but it clotted right away and I went to the emergency room and they told me I had nothing to worry about and that I still should be fine to fly but my ENT wants me to stay another 2 weeks but due to my academic schedule I cannot do that. Do you think I will be okay to fly tomorrow?
I had a tosillectomy on Decemeber 28th but I am supposed to fly back to college tomorrow which is 10 days post surgery. The flight is only two hours but I did have some bleeding last night but it clotted right away and I went to the emergency room and they told me I had nothing to worry about and that I still should be fine to fly but my ENT wants me to stay another 2 weeks but due to my academic schedule I cannot do that. Do you think I will be okay to fly tomorrow?
Brief Answer:
Guessing you should be fine, best of luck
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. In all honesty, we would be able to tell only after viewing the surgical site and its rate of healing. Looking at the surgical wound would provide any doctor information on how much the wound has healed, and whether or not the stitches have healed enough to allow a slight increase in pressure over the area not causing it any harm.
If the stitches or any other method employed to close the wound have healed well, then you are safe to fly, but if they have not healed well enough then you are not safe to fly.
10 days post-op is a good amount of time for the stitches to heal, but they can be a little sensitive; although 2 more weeks are not required, another 2-5 days should make it safe to fly.
But as the medical staff in the ER also viewed the region and though you are safe to fly, I am guessing you should be fine. What you can also do is to carry medication to prevent a bleed (e.g. Tranexamic acid), or request your doctor for a shot before the flight (as a precautionary measure). Also drink only cold liquids and nothing warm at all until you land safely, to prevent increased blood supply to the region.
But I am sure you will be fine, and will have a safe and uneventful flight. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Guessing you should be fine, best of luck
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. In all honesty, we would be able to tell only after viewing the surgical site and its rate of healing. Looking at the surgical wound would provide any doctor information on how much the wound has healed, and whether or not the stitches have healed enough to allow a slight increase in pressure over the area not causing it any harm.
If the stitches or any other method employed to close the wound have healed well, then you are safe to fly, but if they have not healed well enough then you are not safe to fly.
10 days post-op is a good amount of time for the stitches to heal, but they can be a little sensitive; although 2 more weeks are not required, another 2-5 days should make it safe to fly.
But as the medical staff in the ER also viewed the region and though you are safe to fly, I am guessing you should be fine. What you can also do is to carry medication to prevent a bleed (e.g. Tranexamic acid), or request your doctor for a shot before the flight (as a precautionary measure). Also drink only cold liquids and nothing warm at all until you land safely, to prevent increased blood supply to the region.
But I am sure you will be fine, and will have a safe and uneventful flight. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Answered by
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