Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery

In the past, traditional operations for bunions were very painful and needed long recovery periods. Fortunately, minimally invasive foot surgery was developed and patients have avoided unnecessary pain and inconvenience.

Some patients might have heard from others that bunion surgery is one of the most painful surgeries. This is also why many people hold off on fixing their bunion until they feel pain in every step, they only have one pair of shoes that are comfortable to wear, or they hate the way their feet look.

Patients that seek minimally invasive bunion surgery fall into the following categories:

*They think that they have a growing bunion and they have questions about what to do and when the best time is to have it fixed.

*They have had bunions for some time and they want them fixed immediately.

*They have had bunion surgery in the past and it is still bothering them.

*The post-operative experience was not good so they would never have the bunion on the other foot fixed in the same way.

An Innovative Procedure

Minimally invasive bunion surgeries are performed by making a small, 5-millimetre incision. Long, thin instruments will be inserted in this opening. Traditional procedures normally require 2 or 3-inch incision, making minimally invasive procedures more advantageous. Larger incisions may cause more trauma, and they can also cause more pain and swelling. Larger incisions can also leave patients with longer visible scars.

If a patient has a moderate to a severe bunion, the minimally invasive procedure will still involve cutting through a bone in addition to repositioning the tendons and ligaments and shaving off the bunion bump.

Discovering a Better Method

Podiatrists came up with the idea for minimally invasive bunion surgery way back in the ‘60s and ‘70s. They have been refining the technique ever since. However, as of today minimally invasive bunion surgery is still not offered in many hospitals.

Recovery Time

For conventional surgeries, recovery time is around six months if there are no complications. For instance, if an average person has a broken bone, it would take about three months for that broken bone to heal. It could take at least six months for a person to be stable again. With minimally invasive procedures, patients may be back wearing their regular shoes within weeks instead of months!

Setup an appointment today with Sheldon H. Nadal, DPM and have your bunions fixed immediately!