When it comes to foot health, we often underestimate its importance until we’re faced with discomfort or pain. Whether it’s bunions, hammertoes, stress fractures, or plantar fasciitis, these conditions can hinder our daily lives and keep us from enjoying our favorite activities. At Certified Foot and Ankle Specialists, Dr. Bowles is practicing advanced minimally invasive bunion surgery procedures to help patients feel better quickly and stay active.
For someone who has a painful bump over the big toe joint, it may be a painful bunion deformity. A foot and ankle surgeon can evaluate if you need surgery and if you qualify for minimally invasive surgery options. These surgery procedures are outpatient same-day procedures that require twilight anesthesia and you can walk the same day. These procedures involve tiny incisions in the skin, correction of the bump, and minimal recovery time due to minimally invasive bunion correction techniques.
What is minimally invasive bunion surgery?
Minimally invasive bunionectomy is a surgical procedure making tiny incisions and using special instruments for cutting the bones and realigning the big toe joint. The surgical procedure involves tiny incisions in the skin to allow special instruments to cut and realign the bones of the big toe joint and to allow for pins or screws to be placed permanently to hold the bunion correction.
For the commonly encountered painful hammertoe deformity, we offer minimally invasive hammertoe procedures that ensure quicker recovery times, less postoperative discomfort and an excellent success rate. We utilize a technique called a flexor tenotomy, a procedure that involves releasing the tendon causing the deformity. This allows the toe to regain its normal position without major surgery. It’s a quick, in-office procedure that can significantly improve your quality of life.
Another minimally invasive procedure offered is in the innovative treatment of stress fractures. For active patients who are injured but are unable to be off the foot for 8 weeks, we offer a subchondroplasty procedure, which is a minimally invasive solution for stress fractures. This procedure involves putting a bone substitute into the affected area which promotes healing and helps restore normal foot function and reduce pain with little downtime.
Plantar fasciitis is a common foot issue that can linger for months in some cases and severely limit daily activity. Another minimally invasive option in our treatment repertoire includes endoscopic plantar fasciotomy for those suffering from chronic plantar fasciitis. This is a common condition that can cause pain in the heel for months in some severe cases. This procedure involves making small incisions to introduce a camera and a small, specialized instrument to visualize and release tension in the plantar fascia ligament. The result? A safe procedure that provides a major reduction in heel pain and a faster path to recovery.
Nerve pain and neuropathy is a common condition that is frustrating and debilitating for many patients and many doctors do not offer minimally invasive treatment options. For patients with burning, tingling, numbness, and balance issues a peripheral nerve stimulator may be an ideal option. This procedure is a minimally invasive procedure used to treat pain and numbness in the legs and feet and can be performed safely in patients with diabetes or patients with swelling in the legs since it is performed with tiny incisions. Patients have excellent results and relief from years of pain in their legs and feet with fast recovery.
Don’t let foot, ankle, or leg pain dictate your life. With minimally invasive surgery procedures, all without the need for a large incision or a long recovery period, you can step forward into a pain-free future. Book an appointment with Dr. Bowles at our Boca Raton Podiatric Clinic today and experience the difference of compassionate and innovative podiatric care.
Here are some frequently asked questions by patients:
What are the risks of minimally invasive techniques?
Traditionally, bunion surgery involves opening the soft tissues and joint and produces a 2-inch scar which can increase the risk of infection and scarring. The advantage of minimally invasive bunionectomy with tiny incisions is the decreased risk of infections and decreased scar tissue compared to invasive bunion surgery.
What does the surgery recovery involve?
After surgery, post-operative care involves small bandages that are kept dry for two weeks and a surgical shoe to protect the foot. Surgery patients can walk on the foot right away and the minimally invasive bunion surgery allows for a faster recovery. Recovery time for invasive bunion surgery involves 4-6 weeks in a surgical shoe or boot.
FAQs
Lapiplasty uses 3D technology to permanently fix the root issues that caused you to develop bunions. Rather than simply shaving off your bunion, as would happen in traditional surgery, lapiplasty derotates and shifts your out-of-place joints, stabilizing them and ensuring your bunion won't return.
What is the newest bunion surgery technique? ›
Lapiplasty® is a new procedure using patented technology to correct not only the bunion, but its root cause. It straightens three dimensions of alignment of the metatarsal bone. First, it corrects the sideways lean of your metatarsal bone.
Is Lapiplasty better than minimally invasive bunion surgery? ›
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.
What is the most advanced surgery for bunions? ›
The Lapiplasty procedure corrects the root cause of bunions — a misaligned toe bone — while dramatically shortening the time patients have to wait to bear weight on the affected foot. The technique is a new approach to a traditional Lapidus bunionectomy.
What are the minimally invasive techniques for bunion surgery? ›
For mild to moderate bunions, I use the PECA, or Percutaneous Chevron Akin, technique. This involves cutting the first metatarsal bone and the big toe bone, repositioning them to correct the alignment. For severe bunions, I perform the (minimally invasive, or MIS) Percutaneous Lapidus technique.
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.
Who is not a candidate for Lapiplasty? ›
Patients under the age of 12 do not qualify for the procedure. Patients between the ages of 12-21 years of age will not qualify if the procedure is estimated to damage any open growth plates.
Will insurance pay for Lapiplasty? ›
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.
Is the bone cut in Lapiplasty? ›
How Does Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction Work? Unlike tradition bunion surgery where the bone is cut in half and shifted over, the Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction procedure uses instruments that have been specifically designed to rotate the bone back to its normal position.
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!
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.
PROstep MIS. PROstep MIS is a minimally invasive procedure that removes your bunions using tiny tools and incisions. The techniques used in this procedure ensure you'll recover more quickly than traditional surgery, as you'll have less swelling, fewer scars, and less pain.
How soon can you walk after lapiplasty? ›
During the initial phases of lapiplasty surgery recovery, limit your walking as it can exacerbate foot swelling when it's in a downward position. Continue to use your crutches for the duration advised by your surgeon, typically around two weeks, but may extend to six weeks, depending on the specific surgery type.
What is the newest procedure for 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.
Is minimally invasive bunion surgery worth it? ›
In most cases, minimally invasive bunion surgery is the best option to correct the bunion, restore healthy joint function, and reduce the pain and impaired mobility associated with bunions. But minimally invasive surgery is not necessarily the best option for every patient.
Are screws used in minimally invasive bunion surgery? ›
The pin will stick out of the big toe temporarily for approximately 4 weeks. The pin will be removed in clinic, with minimal to no pain. Screw fixation: 2-3 screws will be placed in the bones to maintain correction of the bunion deformity. These screws can be removed at a later date if desired.
How successful is Lapiplasty bunion 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.
Is Lapiplasty surgery painful? ›
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 is Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction different from traditional surgery? ›
Lapiplasty isn't just shaving down the bump – it rotates the entire metatarsal bone back into natural alignment and secures it in place with patented titanium plating. This comprehensive approach fixes the root cause of bunions, providing more reliable long-term results compared to traditional surgery techniques.
Can bunions come back after Lapiplasty? ›
In fact, 1 in 3 patients have been left dissatisfied with their surgical outcome in the past and up to 70% of those treated have had their bunion return.
