This is probably a dumb question but I will ask anyhow! Are the staples used on the stomach (internally) metal or some other type of material?? I was just wondering if they dissolve or if I will be walking around with metal in my belly forever!

Thanks,

Leslie

I was told they are titanium and they will be around long after you are gone. I was wondering about going through metal detectors, but had no problem when I finally did after surgery.

I wondered also if they will show up on X-rays?

Yes, they will show up on x-rays as a distinct black bar following the curve of your sleeve. If getting x-rays for that area of the body you may want to warn the doctor just so they know. Absolutely NO effect on the x-ray itself, they just show up.

The same is true for MRI, titanium is nonferrous, that is nonmagnetic so the MRI will not move them or attract them.

Metal detectors should not go off for them either as titanium is a very light metal, almost as light as aluminum. They would have to be set and an incredibly high level to go off and they'd be finding everything, surgical pins, bridgework, metal zippers etc.

Thanks for the info! That makes me feel a lot better!

I have 14 titanium dental implants, a plate and 7 screws in my ankle and now a line of staples in my stomach and I've never had a problem with xrays, MRIs, CAT scans or metal detector screenings. It can cause a bit of confusion to screeners/X-ray techs if I forget to mention all my metal, but you won't even know they're there!

I was just wondering about MRI's - good to know!!

Yes I just got 2 MRIs last week and was waiting for my stomach to get sucked out, but didn't happen obviously