Originally Posted by nfc
If you have documentation from your doctor, that helps. I've seen people with cards that indicate they have conditions that prevent certain types of screening or that they'll set off the medical detector. If you ask your doctor, they should be able to walk you through the best way to travel.
I travel frequently with a friend who has an artificial hip and carries all the medical documentation required by TSA with her. This middle aged grandmotherly individual has yet to go through security without triggering the full secondary work up - wanding, pat down, bag search, etc. The documentation of her surgery and hip implantation carries no weight with the screeners. I have yet to see even one screener glance at it, much less read it. The bottom line is - you trigger the metal detector, you get the works. We have learned to get to the airport with a huge time margin to allow for this procedure.