Dottie’s Travel Alert for TAVR Patients
Written By: Adam Pick, Patient Advocate, Author & Website Founder
Published: April 2, 2025
Are you planning to travel this spring or summer? If you are a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) recipient, don’t be alarmed if you unexpectedly set off the airport security system.
My Story About TAVR & Security Wands
My Name is Dottie and I live in Hawaii. I had a very successful TAVR procedure in January 2023. I am a 78-year-old retired community college instructor, former triathlete and competitive swimmer. Now, I spend my time playing pickleball, ocean swimming, doing morning workouts, walking my dog, and playing with my grandson.
My husband and I travel once a year. We just returned from a two-week international cruise that took us to four Northern European countries and Iceland.
Our travels took us through many airport systems starting with Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. Subsequent systems included London, England, Iceland and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Seattle, Washington. Additionally, when traveling on our cruise ship… Each day we left and returned to the vessel ,we re-entered through an intense identification and security process.
My husband and I have TSA pre-check to expedite us through the security process. This and other new programs such as “Global Entry” and “Clear” are setup to accelerate the identification process and help travelers through TSA security.
Despite this, each time I encountered the security, I set off the alarm system. I was then asked to step aside while a female security officer waved a wand up and down my body — both front and back. At one airport, after a “wanding”, I was patted down by the female security officer. At the cruise ship, each day we re-embarked I also set off their alarm systems and went through a similar process.
I couldn’t understand what was triggering the alarms. I discussed it with my husband and the only thing we came up with was my new heart valve. I then began my research. I knew that my valve was an Edwards Sapien 3 valve. I discovered that this valve contains a cobalt-chromium frame for support.
There were varying opinions as to whether it would set off airport alarm systems. However, with the increase in hyper-sensitive systems to combat security risks, it was clear that my heart valve was creating the alarm. I learned that if you tell the security personnel that you have “metal” in your body, you will either be instructed to a separate line for “wanding” or you will walk through a full body scanner. Procedures varied by airport.
Now that I know this, I will be prepared to spend the additional time necessary. I am happy to do so and sincerely grateful that we have such valuable security measures. You can learn more about what happens during an airport screening if you have metal in your body by clicking this link.
For all the heart valve patients out there:
- Do you know what kind of heart valve you have?
- What the components are?
With this information you will be prepared to travel with confidence!
Aloha,
Dottie
Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder
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