Lapiplasty Procedure for Bunions | Weil Foot & Ankle Institute (2024)

FAQs

What are the downsides of Lapiplasty? ›

Cons of Lapiplasty Bunion Surgery

These include potential complications like arthritis and avascular necrosis, and nerve damage which may cause limited or uncomfortable sensations in the feet. Some patients may still experience ongoing pain and swelling despite the surgery.

Is Lapiplasty covered by Insurance? Lapiplasty surgery is for a true orthopaedic condition and is most frequently covered by most commercial and government insurances. Each insurance plan is different, and cost may be subject to deductible, coinsurance, and maximum out of pocket.

Lapiplasty offers a promising surgical treatment option. It involves a less invasive procedure, fewer complications, and a quicker recovery than traditional bunion surgery. It also addresses bunions at their root cause.

You are not a candidate for the Lapiplasty^® Procedure if the following applies: Pediatric patient aged less than 12 years of age. Adolescent patients aged between 12-21 years of age where the implant will cross open growth plates in skeletally immature patients.

Instead of cutting the bone in half and shifting the top part over, the patented Lapiplasty^® Procedure uses specially-designed instrumentation to rotate the entire deviated bone back into its normal anatomical position, naturally straightening your toe; removing the “bump” and associated pain.

Will I Be Able to Bend My Big Toe after Lapiplasty? Yes, you will still have normal movement of your big toe after this surgery at Bone & Joint Specialists. The fusion in this procedure takes place at the metatarsophalangeal joint. This is deemed to be more of a “non-essential” joint.

Since bunions are a 3-dimensional deformity a procedure that corrects all 3 dimensions is required. Osteotomies only correct 2 of the 3 dimensions. Lapiplasty surgery failures are reduced to only 3-5% according to current studies. Lapiplasty recovery time is also shorter!

For bunion surgery, we generally use local anesthesia. This means you will be awake, but will not feel any pain or prodding during the surgery.

Following a Lapiplasty bunion surgery, which involves removing a bone lump and straightening the big toe joint, expect initial pain and swelling. Over six weeks, these symptoms will diminish, but minor discomfort may persist for up to a year.

How soon can you walk after lapiplasty? ›

A typical recovery timeline for the Lapiplasty^® Procedure is as follows: At 2 weeks begin to put some weight on your foot. Next 4-6 weeks walk in a boot and return to light activities. At 6-8 weeks transition back into comfortable shoes.

There's no cut-and-dry rule regarding an age limit for bunion surgery. Seniors can visit a podiatrist serving the Sugar Land area to find out if the procedure might be right for them.

Arthritis: Bunionectomies are not recommended for people with arthritis in their toes because the procedure can actually cause the condition to worsen. Diabetes: People with diabetes are at a higher risk for developing complications after any type of surgery, including a bunionectomy.

Complications of foot and ankle surgery can include infections, swelling and stiffness, and wound haematoma (bleeding). If you're generally healthy the risk of a serious complication from an operation is very small. Every possible care is taken to prevent complications, but in a few cases these do happen.

“Contrary to popular belief, bunions are often complex deformities that stem from joint issues in the mid-foot,” Brink said. "The root cause of a bunion is an unstable joint at the base of the foundation of the metatarsal bone."

A typical recovery timeline for the Lapiplasty^® Procedure is as follows: At 2 weeks begin to put some weight on your foot. Next 4-6 weeks walk in a boot and return to light activities. At 6-8 weeks transition back into comfortable shoes.

Suykerbuyk performs the Lapiplasty 3D Bunionectomy, which addresses the bunion at the unstable joint, preventing the bunion from returning in the future. With this technique, the recurrence rate for a bunion goes down to less than 4%.