Minimally-Invasive Foot Surgery - How It Is Helpful?

Over the last few years, foot surgery has come to be recognized as a major orthopedic speciality. Modern orthopedic surgeries tend to use minimally invasive techniques in order to reduce complications posed by open surgery and thus, also reduce or improve post-surgery recovery. A minimally invasive foot surgery is a type of surgery that is performed with a very small incision.

By using such incisions, surgeons insert specially designed instruments to carry out the operation, without causing injury to the adjacent tissue. As a result, it makes the operation more manageable and easier to control. However, these minimally invasive foot surgeries are to be done by trained physicians and surgeons. The foot is first numbed and several 3mm incisions are inserted around the foot to enable access to special instruments. An X-ray machine is also used to monitor the instrument's direction to ensure precise cuts and corrections.

Typically painful bunions, plantar fasciitis, recurring corns, heel spurs, contracted toes and hammer toes are corrected by this type of surgery. With the constant and worthwhile contributions from several physicians, cost effective minimally invasive foot surgery was made possible.

Benefits of Minimally Invasive Foot Surgery

1. No Trauma to the Soft Tissue: As opposed to traditional open surgery where deep incisions were made, the minimally invasive technique does not cause many injuries to the soft tissue. Since this technique involves relatively smaller incisions, it does not harm the soft tissues inside. As a result, the patient’s recovery time is quick.
2. Shorter Surgery Time: When compared to open surgeries, the duration of the minimally invasive foot surgery tends to be shorter.
3. Avoids Usage of Anesthesia: Only a local anesthesia is required and patients can be awake when the surgery is performed. Whereas in an open surgery a general anesthesia has to be administered and only certain patients will be qualified for that. For patients who are at risk due to medical history, performing a minimally invasive foot surgery should not be a problem, as only a local anesthesia to make the foot asleep has to be given.
4. Minimal Pain: Patients require less use of pain relievers and studies have shown that patients who have undergone this type of surgery report lesser pain when compared with traditional techniques of foot surgery.
5. No Scars: Due to the use of smaller incisions, the scars left behind by this procedure are less noticeable. They do not have jagged edges and are smaller than those left on by traditional open surgeries. Also, no stitches are needed.
6. Day Surgery: You do not need to be hospitalized for a prolonged time as this surgery is typically a day care procedure. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!