Aftercare

What to leave with, what your doctor at home needs, and how follow-up works once you are back.

Plan aftercare before travelling, including who will respond if a problem develops after you return.

Before you leave

Do not board a flight without these, in writing and in a language your own doctor reads:

• A discharge summary: what was done, findings, and any deviation from the plan
• The implant or device record: manufacturer, model and, where relevant, lot number
• Medication list on discharge, including duration and any prophylaxis
• Imaging from after the procedure, in DICOM where possible
• Warning signs: what should prompt you to seek care, and how urgently
• A named contact for questions after you return

Flying after surgery

Long-haul travel after surgery carries a venous thromboembolism risk that varies with the procedure, the time since surgery and your own risk factors. Ask the treating team specifically when it is safe for you to fly, and get the answer in writing. Do not infer it from the discharge date.

Handing over to your doctor at home

Give your own clinician the full set of documents, not a summary you wrote yourself. Where a procedure used a device they are unfamiliar with, the manufacturer record matters more than the narrative.

If something goes wrong

Establish before you travel what happens in three scenarios: a complication after you return home, a need for revision surgery, and a disagreement about whether a problem relates to the procedure. Ask each question of the coordinating service and of the hospital, and compare the answers.

Source: CDC Yellow Book — medical tourism.

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