miniBunion Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery
Although we always try to treat bunions conservatively if we can, there are situations where surgery is the only way to eliminate the pain and return you to normal shoes and normal activities.
Yet traditional bunion surgeries come with drawbacks, too, including large incisions, sometimes several weeks off your feet, and moderate risk of recurrence. Not everyone can take that kind of time off, so they’re left with a difficult choice.
But if you get your bunion surgery at Foot & Ankle Center of Oklahoma, the choice could be much simpler! That’s because our staff is specially trained in several advanced bunion surgery procedures that can offer better and faster results than more traditional procedures—including the miniBunion procedure.
What Is miniBunion?
miniBunion is a minimally invasive bunion surgery that improves on traditional osteotomy procedures (such as the chevron bunionectomy) in several key ways.
Instead of a large open incision on the top of the foot that exposes the entire joint, the miniBunion procedure only requires a small (approximately 1.5 cm) incision made along the side of the foot.
As with an osteotomy, the misaligned metatarsal bone is cut and repositioned. But then, a specially designed micro-titanium implant is placed into the long part of the metatarsal (closer to the heel) and secured to the repositioned metatarsal head after it’s been rotated into the correct alignment.
Once everything is properly positioned and secured, we’ll close up the incision.
What Are the Main Benefits of miniBunion?
Key benefits include:
- Faster recovery. Because of the immediate stability provided by the specially designed implant, most patients have a faster return to weight bearing, and can get back into normal shoes within 4-6 weeks. Functional recovery is often several weeks faster than with open surgeries.
- Less pain. Minimal incisions have a lower risk of damage to your body (skin, nerves, other tissues) than large open incisions do. That means minimally invasive surgeries such as miniBunion are frequently much less painful than traditional surgeries.
- Lower risk of infection and other complications. Smaller incisions also tend to heal up faster and provide less of an opportunity for infection compared to traditional surgery.
- Less visible scarring. This is due to both the small size of the incision, as well as its location along the side of the foot. While an open bunion surgery on the top of the foot can leave a noticeable scar that’s visible every time you look down, the miniBunion scar is often more or less unnoticeable in day-to-day activity.
- Better overall appearance. In addition to the less noticeable scarring, the miniBunion procedure allows for a greater degree of shift and rotation of the metatarsal head and toe, meaning a better overall alignment and better aesthetic result in many cases.
Is miniBunion Right For Me?
The miniBunion procedure is a great option that is appropriate for many types of bunions, particularly mild to moderate cases where speedy recovery is a top priority. However, it may not be the best choice for everyone.
At the Foot & Ankle Center of Oklahoma, our doctors are trained in several different bunion surgical procedures, including the advanced Lapiplasty procedure as well. Each type of surgery has its own pros and cons, so we’ll always make sure to discuss all relevant options with you and make a recommendation that we think will be best for your individual circumstances.
Regardless of your circumstances, however, it’s always best to contact us as early as possible about a bunion—even before you start experiencing pain, if possible. The sooner you seek help, the more options (including non-surgical) you will typically have available to find relief.
Call our office today at (405) 418-2676, or request an appointment online.
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