Are Bunions Keeping You From an Active Lifestyle?
At Florida Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center in Sarasota, Fl, we know that bunions can be painful and that they can keep you from doing the things you love. That’s why our board-certified, fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons Dr. James Cottom and Dr. Jay Badell offer Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction, a new, patented treatment option for bunions.
Many people think that bunions are simply just an overgrowth of bone that just needs to be removed. However, they are actually a complex deformity of the foot caused by an unstable joint, and this deformity needs to be corrected, not just shaved off.
What Is Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction?
Unlike traditional treatment options for bunions, Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction is a new, patented treatment option for bunions that addresses the bunion at the primary source of the problem in three dimensions. This procedure not only used advanced fixation technology to keep the correction in place but also often allows patients to walk just days after surgery. In addition, the surgeons at FLOFAC offer minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for bunions and many other conditions.
To learn more about how Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction works as well as how it differs from traditional surgery please call our office at 941.924.8777 or visit www.FLOFAC.com to see if you are a candidate for this procedure.
Why Is Traditional Surgery Ineffective?
Traditional bunion surgery uses a two-dimensional approach. In this procedure, the bone is cut in half, and the top part of it is shifted over to reduce the appearance of the bump. This cut and shift of the bone mostly addresses the symptoms of the bunion. It fails to get to the bottom of the issue or the primary problem, which is an unstable joint creating a three-dimensional deformity of the big toe. Because it doesn’t solve the underlying cause, most people who undergo traditional bunion surgery have their bunions come back. In fact, one in three patients who undergo traditional bunion surgery is dissatisfied with the results.
Traditional bunion procedures are ineffective because:
Traditional 2D Surgery
Traditional bunion surgery is similar to fixing the Leaning Tower of Pisa by cutting it and shifting it over.
The Bump Is Shaved
Unable Foundation (Source of the Problem Is Not Corrected)
Top of the Bone Is Cut & Shifted Over
Unstable Foundation (Source of the Problem Is Not Corrected)
How Does Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction Work?
Unlike tradition bunion surgery where the bone is cut in half and shifted over, the Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction procedure uses instruments that have been specifically designed to rotate the bone back to its normal position. This naturally straightens your toe and removes the bump as well as it helps alleviate the pain it has been causing. Using titanium plating technology the foundation that was once unstable is secured. After the procedure, most patients are able to walk within a few days. Since a cast is not needed, they are also able to wear their own shoes and get back to doing the things they love quicker compared with some traditional technqiues.
Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction Surgery
Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction surgery is similar to addressing the underlying cause of the Leaning Tower of Pisa’s problem, the unstable foundation. By rotating the tower back into its original position and securing it, the problem is addressed.
Unstable joint with Bunion deformity
3D Correction Secures the Unstable Foundation Permanently
Joint Is Permanently Secured
Entire Bone Is Returned to Its Normal Alignment
X-Ray Examples:
Normal Foot
Traditional Surgery with just moving the head of the metatarsal over and fixating with a screw. The 1st TMT joint remains unstable at the primary cause of the bunion. There is an increased chance of the correction not working and the bunion coming back as the foundation has not been addressed.
Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction
Titanium Plating Technology—Allowing Early Weight-Bearing
Using two small, anatomically-shaped titanium plates, the Lapiplasty 3D Bunion Correction procedure securely stabilizes the once unstable foundation of the bunion. The support this provides on multiple planes allows patients to walk a few days after surgery depending on swelling. The procedure uses two small plates for correction as it is more secure than a single plate.
What Should Patients Expect for Recovery?
The procedure and the use of titanium plating technology allow patients the ability to bear weight on the foot early. This improves the recovery process, providing patients the ability to walk faster than those with a Lapidus, a traditional bunion surgery.
Recovery Comparison: Expectations
Lapiplasty 3D Correction
*Smith B, et al. 2017 AOFAS Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Traditional Lapidus Surgery
**Catanzariti, AR, et al. Jml Foot Ankle Surgery, 38:325-32
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some questions that are commonly asked by patients as well as their answers:
How long does it take to recover from the Lapiplasty 3D Correction procedure?
Typically, patients are walking within a few days after surgery. Most can return to their occupations within days or a couple of weeks wearing a surgical boot. Around six weeks, patients can expect to be back walking in comfortable shoes. Of course, soft tissue swelling will often dictate how quickly we can walk our patients. So this different with each patient and how much they swell after surgery. At FLOFAC we do have advanced techniques to help resolve swelling quickly after any surgical procedure.
Can I still wear fashionable shoes?
The Lapiplasty 3D Correction procedure will allow most patients to return to their choice of shoes. However, some shoes can bring pain, even for people with normal feet.
Can I participate in sports after a Lapiplasty 3D Correction procedure?
Yes, the Lapiplasty 3D Correction procedure has no activity limitation once fully recovered. Most patients are able to return to their choice of activities once the bones are fully healed.
Can this procedure be performed on someone who had Bunion surgery before?
Yes, the Lapiplasty 3D Correction procedure can be an available treatment option if a revision is needed. Patients will still be able to experience the same benefits for the surgery—but with the underlying cause treated and definitively corrected.
I’ve heard the term “reproducible” used when describing this procedure. What does it mean?
Reproducible means that this surgery can be easily repeated and the outcome is usually consistant. Since the procedure uses specifically designed instruments and precision, the guesswork is taken out, allowing repeatable results again and again.
Is the Lapiplasty 3D Correction procedure an outpatient procedure, and how long does it last?
Yes, Lapiplasty surgeries are outpatient procedures that last a little under an hour. However, if any additional procedures are being performed by your doctor during this surgery, the time may increase.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cottom or Dr. Badell in Sarasota, FL, please contact the office at 941.924.8777 or contact us through our homepage on www.FLOFAC.com
