Lapiplasty Surgery Vs Other Bunion Treatments | FASA (2024)

Lapiplasty versus the others

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BENEFITS OF LAPIPLASTY

Lapiplasty Surgery Vs Other Bunion Treatments | FASA (1)

Bunions are among the most common orthopedic issues affectingthe feet. Studies show that approximately one-third of Americans suffer from bunions.

Among specific populations, this number rises dramatically.According to the American Orthopaedic Foot and AnkleSociety (AOFAS), as many as 55% of older women have bunions.

Importantly, however, bunions canaffectanyone at any age.

If you are among those suffering from bunions,it’s in your best interest to seekrelief. Finding relief requires learning about your condition and possible treatments.

Lapiplasty is among the most promising new treatments for bunions. Read on to learn more aboutthe benefits oflapiplasty compared to otherbuniontreatments.

What Are Bunions?

Bunions are bony protrusions, or bumps,that appear on theoutsideof the big toe. A common misconception is that an overgrowth of bone causes this protrusion.Some surgical bunion treatments involve removing part of the bonebased on this misconception. Unfortunately, these treatments do not address the underlying problemwith bunions.

In fact, bunions do not represent an overgrowth of bone. Rather, they indicate a deformity of the foot’s anatomical structure. In almost allbunioncases,this deformity is complex and occurs in three dimensions. In other words, bunions involve three shifts in the first metatarsalbone.

Your foot has five metatarsal bones — one for each toe. The metatarsals connect your toes to the rest of your foot.The first metatarsal lies between thebig toe’sphalangesand themid-foottarsals.Your phalanges are the bones inside your toes, while your tarsals connect your metatarsal bones to your heel and ankle joint.When the joint between the first tarsal and metatarsal becomes unstable, the first metatarsal can shift in three directions.

With the first shift, the metatarsal begins to lean sideways. Second,the metatarsallifts, transferring an excessive load to the other toes.In the final shift, the metatarsalbone rotatesout of alignment, causing abnormal wear.

The most effectivebuniontreatments, like lapiplasty bunion surgery, address this complex,three-dimensionaldeformity.

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What Are the Symptoms of Bunions?

The most obvious symptom of a bunion is a bulge at the base of the big toe. Some bunions produce this visible deformity and no additional symptoms. Over time, however, many bunions begin to cause discomfort.

Additional symptoms of bunions include:

  • Soreness around the big toe joint
  • Swelling or redness around the joint
  • A limited range of motion in the big toe joint
  • Corns and calluses between the first and second toes

Bunion pain, rednessand swelling can be constant or sporadic. You might notice that certain factors increaseirritation. Wearing ill-fitting shoes can contribute to the formation of bunionsoraggravate existing bunions. Overuse can further irritate a bunion.

If you notice any of the above symptoms, it’s important to seek medical advice. An experienced podiatrist will conduct a physical exam and X-Ray to evaluate your foot’s anatomy. Based on these findings, your doctor can recommend an effective treatment.

Bunions can lead to additional complicationsif they’re left untreated. Thesecomplicationsinclude bursitis, arthritis, hammertoeand metatarsalgia. Scheduling routine preventative visits and seeking prompt treatment when issues arise are important stepstotake to protect yourself from these painful conditions.

How Are Bunions Treated?

Bunion treatments include conservative options and surgical treatment. Discuss your options with your doctor before deciding on a treatment plan.

Conservative Treatments
Conservative, nonsurgical treatments focus on relieving symptoms and preventing further misalignment. These measures include:

  • Wearing comfortable shoes that offer adequate space for your toes
  • Using nonmedicated pads to cushion the painful joint
  • Using over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatories, like acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium
  • Getting a cortisone shot to reduce inflammation
  • Using over-the-counter or prescription shoe inserts to relieve pressure on the joint, also known as orthotics
  • Using a bunion splint, sleeve or toe spacers to temporarily improve the joint's alignment
  • Icing your bunion to relieve inflammation, swelling and pain

Hoping to avoid surgery, many patients try these conservative methods first. Some patients find that they can, for a time, manage their discomfort using nonsurgical treatments.

Still, even conservative treatments present disadvantages. First, the long-term use of anti-inflammatories isassociated with serious health risks. These risks increase in older adultsand include:

  • Stroke
  • Myocardial infarction, which occurs when your heart doesn’t receive enough oxygen
  • Gastrointestinal complications, such as heartburn or peptic ulcers
  • Acute or chronic kidney failure
  • Nephrotic syndrome
  • Worsened hypertension, or high blood pressure

Cortisone injections can offer longer-lasting relief from inflammation and pain. However, theyalsoinvolve risks,such as:

  • Osteoporosis
  • Diabetes
  • High blood sugar
  • Glaucoma and cataracts
  • Immunosuppression
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Gastrointestinal complications

These adverse risks increasewith frequent use. To reduce these risks, experts recommend limiting cortisone injections to no more than 3-4 times per year.

Even icing a bunion can involve risks for certain patients. For example, some patients with circulation problems should consult a doctor before beginning an icing regimen.

Other patients put their hopes in bunion splints, sleeves, toe spacersand other orthotic devices. These devices may appear to improve the alignment of the affected joint. They may also provide some pain relief when walking or performing other activities.

However, bunion splints cannot “cure” or “correct” a bunion. Any improvement or relief is temporary, lasting only as long as the patient wears the device.

In fact, the biggest drawback of all conservative treatments is that noneaddress the cause of the problem. Bunions involve a three-dimensional misalignment of the bones and joints,and only certain surgical treatments can correct this complex misalignment.Two of these surgical treatments include osteotomy and lapiplasty.

Lapiplasty Surgery Vs Other Bunion Treatments | FASA (2)

What is Osteotomy?

Among the most common surgical bunion treatments isanosteotomy.

An osteotomy involves shaving or cutting the part of the bone that protrudes from your foot. It can also involve cutting the first phalange or metatarsal to shorten and realign the bones. Pins are used to hold the newly segmented bones in place. To further realign the foot, tight tendons and ligaments are released. Meanwhile, loose tendons and ligaments are tightened.

Following an osteotomy, the patient’s foot is placed in a cast for3-6weeks. Some procedures require patients to avoid bearing weight on the affected foot for6-8weeks.

Of course, full recovery times vary depending on the extent of the realignment required. However, the average recovery from traditional bunion surgery can take up tosixmonths.

Still, some patients find that their recovery takes a year or more. Others find that they never recover fully. In fact, a third of patients are dissatisfied with the results of traditional bunion surgery.

  • Recurrence of the bunion
  • Arthritis
  • Avascular necrosis, or death of the bone caused by a disruption in blood supply
  • Nerve damage that results in limited or uncomfortable sensations in the feet
  • Stiffness and a limited range of movement in the affected toe
  • Ongoing pain and swelling

The most complications areongoing pain, swellingand stiffness. Recurrence of the bunion is also common, astraditional bunion surgery fails to address the root cause of the problem.

In fact, traditional bunion surgery takes atwo-dimensionalapproach to athree-dimensionalproblem. A newer technique—lapiplasty—takes a more effectivethree-dimensionalapproach.

NeW Bunion ProCEDure - LAPIPLASTY

Lapiplasty is less invasive, lower risk, less painful, and more effective than an osteotomy. Keep reading to learn more!

What is Lapiplasty?

Lapiplasty is a less invasive bunion treatment method that corrects the root cause of the bunion. In other words, it addresses the misalignment in all three dimensions. Moreover, lapiplasty achieves these corrections in a less invasive manner than traditional bunion surgery.

How does Lapiplasty work?

Unlike an osteotomy, lapiplasty does not involve cutting or shaving the bones. Instead, it uses advanced instruments to push the entire metatarsal bone back into place. With the proper alignment achieved, lapiplasty uses innovative titanium plate technology to secure the bones.

In this way, lapiplasty naturally and permanently corrects the protrusion and straightens the toe. It also protects patients from the above complications, produces greater patient satisfaction, and significantly reduces recovery time.

Lapiplasty Surgery Vs Other Bunion Treatments | FASA (3)

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BENEFITS OF LAPIPLASTY

Lapiplasty is a less invasive alternative to traditional bunion surgey that is more effective at correcting each misalignment issue with bunions. Here are some of the benefits of lapiplasty when compared with osteotomy and other bunion treatments:

  • Smaller surgical wounds:Lapiplasty incisions are smaller than those with traditional osteotomy, which is open surgery. The smaller incisions are beneficial in several ways. First, they present fewer risks of surgical site infections (SSIs). Since less of the foot is exposed to the open air and surgical instruments, there is less risk of infection. Second, the recovery period for lapiplasty is shorter since less of the foot has to heal from the procedure. Finally, there will be smaller scars at the surgical site — most of the time, lapiplasty scars are scarcely visible.
  • Corrects all three deformities:Since lapiplasty corrects all three shifts in the metatarsal bone that lead to bunions, it is much more effective at treating them than osteotomy or any nonsurgical bunion treatment. This way, lapiplasty restores your foot and the big toe to their normal alignment.
  • Less pain after surgery:Since lapiplasty has smaller incisions and doesn’t involve shaving or cutting away the bone, it typically has less post-surgical pain. With less post-surgical pain, you won’t need to rely on pain relieving medication as much during your recovery time. Further, your recovery period with lapiplasty will be much more manageable and less restrictive than recovery from traditional osteotomy.
  • Ability to walk soon after surgery:Most lapiplasty patients can walk soon after surgery after they are fitted for a walking boot. Some can bear weight on their foot immediately after surgery, while others come back in a couple of days to be fitted for a walking boot.

SHOULD I GET A LAPIPLASTY?

If you’re dealing with significant bunion pain and conservative treatments have failed to bring relief, you’re an ideal candidate for Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction treatment. Or, you may only have visible symptoms of bunions without the pain and discomfort. In these cases, discuss with your doctor whether you should try conservative treatments or get lapiplasty to correct the problem at its root.

Frequently Asked Lapiplasty Questions

Patients who choose lapiplasty report better results and quicker recoveries. Still, lapiplasty is a surgical procedure. Choosing to undergo any surgical procedure is a weighty decision.

Knowing what to expect can help you make the best decision for you. It can also reduce any anxiety you might feel as the procedure approaches.

Lapiplasty is an outpatient surgery.
The procedure usually takes about an hour. After monitoring your recovery, your surgery team will advise you on at-home care before discharging you the same day.

No. After surgery, your doctor will wrap your foot in bandages to protect the incision. You can expect to leave these bandages in place for a few days. After that time, you’ll switch to a surgical walking boot.

Most lapiplasty patients are able to bear weight on their foot within a few days of the procedure. In fact, some patients can bear weight immediately after surgery. Of course, everyone’s recovery is different. However, almost all patients can bear weight within 2-3 weeks after surgery.

Yes! Lapiplasty patients experience no permanent limitations on their activities or activity levels.

Always follow your doctor’s advice as you return to your pre-surgery routines. Still, you can anticipate a return to sports within four months of your procedure.

Again, the answer is yes. Patients who have undergone lapiplasty can wear the same shoes as those with normal feet.

Of course, it’s important to remember that some shoes are uncomfortable even for healthy feet. Furthermore, certain shoes can contribute to foot deformities, including bunions. So it’s always important to choose your footwear carefully. However, the lapiplasty procedure itself imposes no limitations.

Fed Up with Bunion Pain? Put Your Foot Downwith Lapiplasty

Bunions affect millions of Americans. If you’re among them, you don’t have to continue suffering.

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.

Contact your Foot&Ankle Surgical Associates to learn moreabout lapiplasty and bunion treatmenttodayby calling us at (360) 754-3338. Schedule an in-office visit with one of our experienced podiatrists. Or,if you prefer, we also offer telehealth “house calls.”

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Lapiplasty Surgery Vs Other Bunion Treatments | FASA (2024)

FAQs

Lapiplasty Surgery Vs Other Bunion Treatments | FASA? ›

Corrects all three deformities: Since lapiplasty corrects all three shifts in the metatarsal bone that lead to bunions, it is much more effective at treating them than osteotomy or any nonsurgical bunion treatment. This way, lapiplasty restores your foot and the big toe to their normal alignment.

Is Lapiplasty better than regular bunion surgery? ›

Correcting the bone across all three dimensions is a major advantage of the Lapiplasty technique, addressing bunion pain more effectively compared to traditional bunion surgery. Moreover, patients receive a nerve block that numbs the foot for 24 hours after surgery, which significantly reduces postoperative pain.

What is the most effective bunion surgery? ›

Minimally invasive bunionectomy involves less pain, a faster recovery, and better cosmetic results due to the small incisions. Open surgery, however, is a more powerful correction for very severe bunion deformities. It also reduces the risk of recurrence in severe bunions.

What is the newest procedure for bunions? ›

Lapiplasty® is a new procedure using patented technology to correct not only the bunion, but its root cause.

Can Lapiplasty be done on severe bunions? ›

Lapiplasty® technology can be used to address mild, moderate, and severe bunions. The Lapiplasty® Procedure corrects the entire bone and secures the unstable foundation to get you back on your feet in a walking boot within 3-10 days.

What are the downsides of Lapiplasty? ›

The downsides of the Lapiplasty procedure are: The cost of the hardware — which can be fairly expensive and may cost the patient more than other hardware. The possible increased operating time due to the use of the cutting guides and jigs.

What is the failure rate of Lapiplasty? ›

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!

Who is not a candidate for Lapiplasty? ›

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.

Do any bones get cut during Lapiplasty surgery? ›

Traditional surgeries simply cut off the excess bone and, since the weakened foundation is left untreated, your bunion can easily return again. With Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction treatment, your podiatrist doesn't cut off the excess bone.

What is the best age for bunion surgery? ›

How old should you be to get bunion surgery?
  • Bunionectomies before the age of 18 can be trickier because the bone plates may still be shifting and accommodating. ...
  • Before the age of 35, your risk of recurrence is much higher, and you may need a second surgery later on.
  • After the age of 60, expect recovery to take longer.
Apr 14, 2023

Can bunions come back after Lapiplasty? ›

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%.

Has anyone corrected a bunion without surgery? ›

Other non-surgical treatments for bunions include injections of cortisone or oral anti-inflammatory medication and wearing custom-made shoes that accommodate the bunion deformity. Both help provides comfort and relieve pain, but do not reduce the abnormal angles that underlie the bunion deformity.

Does insurance pay for Lapiplasty? ›

Is the Lapiplasty® Procedure covered by insurance? Good news! Insurance and Medicare typically cover bunionectomy and joint fusion procedures that utilize the Lapiplasty® System when the procedures are medically necessary.

Can you bend your big toe after Lapiplasty? ›

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.

Are you put to sleep for Lapiplasty? ›

We also then have the patient go to sleep, but it's a little bit lighter than our average, general anesthesia. This helps you wake up a little faster. Our recovery typically is going to be about six weeks in a weight-bearing boot.

When is it too late for bunion surgery? ›

There's no cut-and-dry rule regarding an age limit for bunion surgery.

What is the success rate for Lapiplasty surgery? ›

What are the results of Lapiplasty? Success of Lapiplasty has shown potential to far exceed the results of traditional bunion surgery. Published research shows a 97.3% success rate with Lapiplasty.

How successful is Lapiplasty bunion surgery? ›

Lapiplasty is a new type of bunion surgery that offers a near-0% chance of bunion recurrence for severe bunion deformities. This technique uses advanced instruments to naturally and permanently correct the bony protrusion and straighten the big toe.

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