Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery Gets You On Your Feet Day 1

A bunion (also called hallux valgus) is the often unsightly and painful bony bump by the base of the big toe (or little toe). And if bunion deformities are left untreated, they can cause other issues, such as hammertoe and big toe arthritis.

A bunionectomy is an operation that involves straightening the toe and metatarsal bone that causes the bunion deformity. But many who suffer foot pain from bunions avoid surgery for fear of:

• A slow and painful recovery
• Unsightly scarring
• Missing long periods of work
• Not being unable to take care of themselves or their responsibilities.

Dr, Sham Persaud has options to treat bunions through small incisions with limited hardware leading to shorter recovery times with less pain, scarring, and metal hardware.

Why our minimally invasive bunion surgery is ideal

Our minimally invasive bunion surgery has revolutionized MIS bunion treatment. It uses a tiny incision and stabilizing screws to provide durable stabilization, faster recovery time, less pain, and minimal scarring.

With this technique, there is no need to open the joints which spare blood supply to the bones, so patients don’t have inner and external scar tissue as they would with traditional bunion surgery. This means a reduced time in physical therapy and less need for the painful break-up of scar tissue in the big toe joint.

Our surgery results in much less trauma to the surrounding soft tissues. The scar is tiny and unlike traditional bunionectomies, the tiny scar is on the inner side of the foot, where it’s virtually invisible during everyday activities.

A walking minimally invasive bunion surgery recovery!

Many patients report minimal pain following the procedure and the MIS bunion correction’s advanced hardware allows most to walk immediately following surgery in a special postoperative weight-bearing boot. 

What happens in the minimally invasive surgery?

The  bunion procedure begins with anesthesia where our anesthesia team gets patients through their procedure with excellent care. 

Tiny micro-incisions, just a few millimeters long are made at the targeted positions of the foot. Guided by an x-ray, a specialized instrument is used to shave the bone at the joint and insert one to two stabilizing screws. For some patients, a small plate with screws are used if there is concern for bone healing. The plate and screws are inside the bone for the most part and not felt by the patient. The procedure realigns the metatarsal and toe bones and causes little or no scarring. The procedure is always performed on an outpatient basis.

Does insurance cover minimally invasive bunion surgery?

Yes! Bunion correction surgery is very commonly covered by most insurance policies. 

Will minimally invasive bunion correction work for every type of bunion?

While our MIS bunion surgery is the ideal corrective procedure for most bunion sufferers, severe bunions or patients with big toe arthritis may require a different approach to successfully correct the deformity. I take my time to discuss the options with you to create a plan that is comfortable for the patient to have the best outcome. 

Why choose Advanced Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation for your bunion care?

If you’re experiencing bunion pain, we’re here to help. Our board-certified foot and ankle surgeon offers the most advanced bunion solutions. 

To schedule a consultation, please call Washington (724) 225-8657 or McMurray (724) 225-8657 now.

Our foot doctor is conveniently located throughout Southwest Pennsylvania with offices in Washington, PA and McMurray, PA.

What Is 4D Bunion Correction?

The advantages of the 4D bunion correction

Our 4D bunion surgical patients have speedier recoveries, with little or minimal pain, less downtime, earlier weight-bearing, and minimal scarring for many reasons, including:

• We correct the bunion at the source of the deformity using patented instrumentation to manipulate the deviated bone back to its original position without cutting the bone.
• Radiographs aid the surgeon with clearly seeing each joint in the foot and ankle to  identify any alignment problems and determine how best to correct them.
• Our  post-surgical anti-inflammation protocols remove the need for long term major narcotics. Our patients will rarely take more than one or two days worth of narcotic pain pills after surgery.
• Our fellowship-trained experienced surgeon take great care of the patient’s tissue with surgical precision. It takes years of training and effort to perform perfect dissection, which is key to eliminating pain and scarring.
• We use rigid compressive fixation to allows for early walking in a boot with limited down time.

WHAT IS A FIRST MTP JOINT FUSION?

The first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint is the joint in your big toe. A first MTP joint fusion is a surgical procedure to treat arthritis of the big toe. Big toe arthritis (also known as hallux rigidus) can cause pain and swelling and lead to difficulty walking, running, and wearing shoes. Arthritis develops when the cartilage on each bone wears away and the two bones that make up the big toe joint rub against one another.

In a first MTP joint fusion, the bones are joined (fused) together permanently so they cannot rub against each other and cause pain. This procedure also removes any motion at the big toe joint.

Diagnosis

The need for surgery depends on how bad the arthritis is and how much pain you are experiencing. Surgery is typically recommended if you have pain and stiffness in the big toe joint. Some patients are unable to wear certain shoes (dress shoes, high heels, and boots) and can't participate in activities due to pain. If the condition exists in both feet, the more painful foot is operated on first.

A foot and ankle surgeon can determine the severity of the condition. Before considering surgery, you should try non-surgical treatment such as modifying your activities or taking steroid injections. You also can try wearing a different type of shoe, such as one with a rounded bottom, or using carbon shoe inserts that limit joint motion.

You should avoid surgery if you have an active infection or severe narrowing of the arteries. You must be able to manage a recovery period that can last six months or more.

Treatment

In an MTP joint fusion, your foot and ankle surgeon removes the damaged cartilage and fixes the two bones together with screws and/or plates to enable them to grow together. 

This is routinely performed as an outpatient procedure. Most patients go home the same day of the surgery unless they need to be monitored in the hospital overnight.   

Specific Technique

Your surgeon will make an incision on top of the big toe. Any cartilage is cleared away to allow the two bones to heal together. Your foot and ankle surgeon may use a combination of tools to shape each bone for a perfect fit.

Once prepared, the two bones are positioned and a plate, staple and or screws are placed to hold both bones together. An additional screw is set across the joint for extra stability and compression, which aids in healing.  After the hardware is placed, the incision is closed with sutures and the foot is placed in a dressing and boot.

X-rays taken after a first MTP joint fusion showing placement of a plate and screw.

Recovery

After surgery, you will likely be examined at two-week, six-week, three-month, and six-month intervals. X-rays may be taken at each visit to evaluate the bone healing and the position of the big toe. Your surgeon will determine when you can put weight on your foot. After a first MTP fusion, you should not wear shoes that put extra stress on the joint.

Risks and Complications

All surgeries come with possible complications, including the risks associated with anesthesia, infection, damage to nerves and blood vessels, incision healing, and bleeding or blood clots.

Complications specific to MTP fusion include poor or delayed bone healing, infection, and stiffness in neighboring joints. The metal plate used during surgery can sometimes cause irritation. In this case it can be removed after the bone has healed. Finally, scarring within the joint can limit neighboring tendons.