subject: Less Invasive Bunion Surgery Reduces Recovery Time [print this page] Do you ever feel pain in your big toe area when walking or running? You may be suffering from a condition called bunions. Some instances of bunions are minor and can be treated with anti-inflammatory medicine or custom-fit shoes. Other times, the bunions are so severe that they require surgery to be corrected. In the past, the decision to get surgery for bunions meant patients had to undergo a long and painful recovery process. However, the outlook for post-surgical recovery may not be so bleak anymore with the new tight rope bunion surgical procedure. With this surgery, patients may be able to recover in fewer than six weeks without having to use crutches for an extended period of time.
Bunions: What are they?
A bunion is an enlargement of bone or tissue surrounding the joint at the base of the big toe. In many cases, the big toe can be turned towards the second toe in a process called displacement. This can cause inflammation in the tissue surrounding the joint and a varying degree of discomfort. Many times bunions are caused by excessive pressure being put on the front of the foot. Often this can be caused by wearing shoes that are too small. The simplest treatment for bunions is to discontinue wearing the shoes that are too tight. When this does not relieve the pain, patients can turn to custom-fit orthotics or pain-relieving drugs. In the most extreme cases, surgery is required to alleviate the symptoms of bunions.
Tight Rope Procedure
In the past, bunion surgery has come with a relatively steep price. Depending on the amount of soft tissue and bone affected by the surgery, recovery has usually lasted anywhere from six weeks to six months. Additionally, patients generally have to avoid putting any pressure on the foot for an extended period of time.
Luckily, there is a new option known as the tightrope procedure that lessens the degree of many of these problems. In the procedure, the podiatrist drills four small holes into the first and second metatarsal bones. Two sets of wire are then inserted and then tightened to realign the big toe. Because there is no severe damage done to the joint or bone, the patient is able to walk in a boot right away. Although the patient does need to go through a period of recovery, the maximum amount of time should be six weeks, a great improvement over previous surgical options.
For patients who are dealing with the pain of bunions, surgery may be the most realistic option to dispel that pain. Talk to your Centreville podiatrist to learn about surgical options and to see if the tight rope procedure is right for you.
