What is minimally invasive bunion surgery?
Minimally invasive bunion surgery, or percutaneous surgery, is a novel technique for treating hallux valgus.
It is performed under local anesthesia and by giving the patient a tranquilizer.
Minimally invasive bunion surgery is an alternative technique to open surgery, as it provides the patient with a number of advantages over open surgery:
- Minimal incision
- Short stay regimen
- Reduction of postoperative pain
- Reduction of possible complications, improving and shortening the post-surgical recovery process.
- Higher level of patient satisfaction and safety.
Why is it performed?
Generally, mini-invasive bunion surgery is indicated in those cases in which after having tried to alleviate the discomfort with conservative medical treatments (anti-inflammatory, splints, corrective footwear…), the discomfort persists and increases, causing difficulty in walking. The patient presents severe pain or cannot walk normally.
Conservative medical treatments will not be effective in severe stages, so it is important to go to the orthopedic surgeon when the first symptoms appear.
Hallux Valgus is more common in adults over 40 years of age, mainly in women.
What does it consist of?
This type of surgery consists of making small incisions in the skin, about 2 millimeters long, through which small instruments can be introduced and through which the protrusion of the bone of the foot is eliminated.
The procedure is simple, lasts between ten and fifteen minutes and is a type of outpatient surgery. The patient can return home the same day of the operation, since only local anesthesia is used.
This intervention reduces the possible complications of this pathology and shortens the post-surgical recovery process.
Preparation for minimally invasive bunion surgery
An advice given by specialists to patients is that when choosing the center or clinic where to undergo this surgery is important to find out that the center has within its medical and podiatric team with professionals specialized in this technique of percutaneous or minimally invasive surgery.
Care after surgery
After the operation the patient is fitted with orthopedic footwear, a shoe adapted with Velcro, and is allowed to ambulate.
- 1st week: It is normal for the patient to rest for a certain period of time.
- 2nd week: From this week on, the patient can go out in the street, he/she can wander around calmly, but during this month the post-surgical shoe is necessary.
- 1 month: The patient is allowed to wear comfortable shoes, which can be sports shoes or sandals, and with this he can walk normally and even return to work.
Alternatives to this treatment
- Osteotomy by open surgery: When the deformity is greater, open surgery is chosen, where cuts are made in the bone and fixed with screws to ensure a permanent correction. This surgery is also performed under local anesthesia and on an outpatient basis.