Minimally Invasive Foot Surgery
Minimally invasive foot surgery offers significant benefits for individuals dealing with a variety of foot conditions, including corns, bunions, hammertoes, fractures, and complications from diabetes, like neuropathy and ulcers. This approach allows for a faster recovery, less pain, and often a return to normal activities within weeks instead of months. Faster recovery and minimal pain is always an ideal situation.
When to See a Podiatrist
According to Dr. Christos Kyrou, a board-certified podiatrist at Premier Medical Group, regular visits to a podiatrist can prevent small foot issues from becoming severe. Knowing when and how often to come in for care can be a big help with limiting pain and treatment time.
Typically, diabetics are seen every nine weeks if they have some comorbidities or poor circulation issues, Dr. Kyrou says. If their diabetes is well controlled, patients are seen every six months for evaluation. For acute issues such as trauma, bunions, hammertoes, warts, it varies anywhere from a week to two weeks until the issue is resolved.
Minimal Incision Foot Surgery
“Minimally invasive foot surgery is done with tiny incisions that typically have one stitch or a non-suture butterfly stitch,” Dr. Kyrou said. “X-ray is great to visualize whatever needs to be done. I’m able to see exactly where I’m operating.”
Dr. Kyrou goes on to explain this process is beneficial because it does not compromise the soft tissue, everything is held in place better and recovery time is a lot quicker. The incisions often are so small they don’t need stitches and patients are often back in their sneakers within two weeks.
The benefits of minimally invasive surgery v.s. traditional surgery is that the incisions are smaller so healing time is much quicker and additionally traditional surgery often involves the insertion of certain hardware on the foot to keep things in place which can sometimes lead to inflammation or infection. Additionally, there is no need for a followup surgery to remove the hardware, so in that regard it contributes to the speed of healing time.
Determining When Surgery is Needed
Deciding if podiatric surgery is needed usually depends on how serious a foot or ankle problem is and how much it affects daily activities. Here are some signs that surgery might be the best option:
- Constant Pain: If pain doesn’t go away with treatments like special shoe inserts, physical therapy, or medicine, surgery might be needed. This can be common for problems like severe bunions or arthritis.
- Foot Deformities: Issues like severe bunions, hammertoes, or flat feet might require surgery, especially if they make walking difficult or if shoes don’t fit comfortably.
- Injuries: Serious injuries, like fractures or torn ligaments, might need surgery if they don’t heal properly to help restore normal movement.
- Nerve Pain: Conditions like neuromas, which are nerve problems in the foot, might need surgery if other treatments don’t help with pain.
- Infection: Severe infections, especially those that spread to the bone, may require surgery to prevent further spread.
- Trouble Moving: If a foot or ankle issue makes it hard to walk or impacts quality of life, surgery could help improve movement and comfort.
- Failed Treatments: If standard treatments like rest, bracing, or therapy haven’t worked, surgery might be the next step.
“It is a team effort, I do my part, patients do their part,” Dr. Kyrou said. “When we’ve exhausted all other options and it’s gotten to the point where it affects quality of life – they can’t wear the shoe gear, they can’t go for a walk, they can’t do their normal activities – typically, there is some sort of surgical intervention.”
Many patients are highly satisfied with the results of surgical corrections, especially when it comes to restoring functionality and improving quality of life. For instance, Dr. Kyrou has treated cases where the second toe crosses over the big toe. With surgery, he’s been able to straighten the toe and help patients regain mobility and comfort.
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When it comes to minimal incision surgery, Dr. Kyrou typically performs about 10 to 20 cases each month. After surgery, he sees his patients a week later to assess their progress. During the follow-up visit, Dr. Kyrou takes an X-ray to ensure everything looks good and carefully examines the incision. At this point in the healing process, patients typically transition from a boot to a lightweight Velcro shoe, allowing them to shower and, in many cases, return to work the very next day.
Preventative Measures and Proper Foot Care
A great way to help prevent damage to your feet is to make sure that you’re wearing proper, supportive footwear. Choosing the right shoes is important for keeping your feet healthy and comfortable. Make sure to look for shoes that fit well since shoes that are too tight or too loose can cause blisters, calluses, and foot pain. Make sure there’s enough room to wiggle your toes, and that the heel doesn’t slip. Good arch support helps keep your feet in a healthy position, which can prevent pain in the feet, ankles, knees, and even the back.
Keep in mind that over time, shoes lose their support and cushioning. It’s important to replace shoes when they show signs of wear, like worn-out soles or loss of shape. Dr. Kyrou says there are a lot of great options out there now for proper foot care. The most important thing to consider is getting footwear that works well for you.
Podiatry and foot care are important parts of this well-rounded approach to keeping patients healthy. Dr. Kyrou and Premier Medical Group focus on a team-based approach and understand the importance of preventive and holistic treatment plans. Whether they’re spotting early signs of a condition, referring patients to other specialists, or working together with different fields, the Premier Medical team looks at the whole picture.
To learn more about Premier Medical Group’s podiatry specialty or minimally invasive foot surgery, visit our website https://www.premiermedicalhv.com/specialties/podiatry/ or contact Dr. Kyrou at (845) 231-0310.