Minimally Invasive Foot Surgery: A Faster Road to Recovery
Many foot conditions may require surgery. Health professionals will usually recommend surgery if all other options have been exhausted. Conditions like severe arthritis, bunions, plantar fasciitis, hammer toes, and Achilles tendon rupture may require surgery. Orthopedic procedure patients deal with some of the highest amounts of postoperative pain. However, there is a different type of foot surgery technique that is less painful and heals faster than its counterpart.
What is Minimally Invasive Foot Surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery is a surgery that uses small incisions to perform procedures. Specific needle-sized medical instruments and an X-ray are used to ensure that the incisions are cut small, typically less than 5 cm in length. Only orthopedic surgeons who have undergone specialized training in this area can perform it.
Traditional vs. Minimally Invasive Techniques
Patients who have minimally invasive surgeries as opposed to traditional surgeries require less postoperative pain medication. However, not all surgeries for foot conditions can be performed with minimally invasive surgeries. Minimally invasive surgeries use different medical instruments than traditional foot surgeries. The incisions in minimally invasive surgeries are significantly smaller. They have less soft tissue stripping, which means the patient does not have to deal with as much pain or tissue trauma.
Benefits of Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Shorter Recovery Time: Minimally invasive surgeries heal faster due to smaller incisions. Additionally, depending on the surgery, you may be able to have some weight-bearing immediately afterwards.
- Less Immune System Stress: Minimally invasive surgeries have less stress on the patient’s immune system. Wounds heal more quickly and cleanly, and there is reduced need for pain medication.
- Less Pain and Swelling: Patients who undergo minimally invasive surgery experience less pain and swelling than those who undergo traditional surgical procedures.
- Get Home Faster: Generally, after surgery, patients can return home the same day.
- Smaller Scars: With smaller incisions, you will have less noticeable scars after.
- Less Stiffness: Patients who undergo minimally invasive surgeries recover their foot function faster.
Minimally invasive surgeries can be used for foot conditions such as heel spurs, ligament injuries, bunions, arthritis, fusions, bone cysts, tendonitis, and many others. If you would like to learn more about foot surgeries and whether they might be needed, contact our care team at 203-723-7884. We are committed to providing high-quality foot care and surgery every step of the way.
Sources:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/foot-and-ankle-surgery
https://www.footcaremd.org/foot-and-ankle-treatments/ankle/minimally-invasive-surgery
