Consequences of failing WTMD screening?
 

I prefer not to opt out when possible because I find the full body grope seriously disturbing to me. So, thanks to the good advice here and at tsastatus.net, I have frequently been successful in getting the SDOO WTMD lane and avoiding both Nude-o-scope and the grope-down too. (I appreciate that others make different choices, but those happen to be mine.)

This is all about to change, I think. I just had major ankle surgery in which they had to permanently implant a plate and three large metal screws. So I am assuming that my days of sailing through WTMDs are over. The question that I am asking is, what happens if I alarm the WTMD? I know that there aren't HHMDs for spot resolution anymore, so will I always get the full-on grope now? If that's the case, I may be better off going through the MMW and hoping for no anomaly, and opting out only for the BSX, which I will not willingly go through no matter what.

And while on the subject, is the BSX castscope still required for plaster casts? I'm currently grounded from flying for another six to eight weeks, but it is possible that I'll be cleared to fly while still in a cast. If there is no alternative but the cast-scope, I might decide not to fly during that period. If I can have an alternative non-Xray screening, I would probably still fly.

(And if the answer to these questions depends on airport, my home airport is SEA.)

Thanks in advance for any information and advice you can provide!

If they are titanium (and its alloys) plates, screws, then they do not trigger the WTMD.
My son has permanently implanted plates, screws in his arm. He has been going through WTMDs for 4 years - all around the world, never triggered any of them.

Oh, that would really be great! Here's hoping that I can still avoid the "be zapped or be groped" choice...

Not true. May take more titanium than iron to set it off, but it will. WTMD that doesn't detect titanium would be useless since there are guns made primarily out of titanium

Small titanium medical implants don't set off the detector.

FWIW, my home airport is SEA & I go thru security often on the way to UA flights ex-North Terminal. That said, I had similar surgery several years back & have various screws & bolts in my right ankle. I have never had a positive response in screening there or at other airports in the US & overseas. While recovering from the surgery I did travel in a boot, but nothing untoward happened, IIRC.

I've had a 6-inch plate and 13 screws in my left ankle/tibia for 5 years now. Been through WTMDs at LHR, CDG, FLO, PSA, BCN, SLC, JFK, LAX, IAH, HNL, SNA, ATL, DFW, NBO, YYC, YVR, and a few others since I've had the surgery/repair. I have never had a "beep" for my hardware.

Thanks for your helpful replies. I'll try out the WTMD once I'm cleared to fly again and cross my fingers!

Still, I think it is ironic and sad that, while recovering, my biggest worry is how to deal with the irrational security setups...

Actually I think it's the opposite - you should be glad that that's all you have to worry about while recovering. There are a lot worse things that could impede recovery/be there to worry about ;)

Cheers. Sharon

Never heard of a gun made primarily out of titanium, but it sounds pretty cool. Could you post a link to one?