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About

Minimal incision "puncture"

foot surgery

What is minimal incision "puncture" foot surgery?

Puncture foot surgery (also known as percutaneous foot surgery), offers a less painful alternative to traditional surgery, leveraging a small hole or puncture, less than 1/8 of an inch,  to correct the bony enlargement that causes most foot deformities. This unique method requires special training, experience, digital perception, and fluoroscopic examination to bring patients a surgical solution without ugly scars, stitches, pins wires, or screws. Faster recovery time equals faster return to your every day activities and lifestyle.

The quiet revolution
in surgery

Just over a decade ago, Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) was just being introduced into widespread use in general and thoracic surgery. Today, Minimal Incision Surgery has become the standard of care for many
procedures and has become widely accepted in nearly all medical specialties, often replacing traditional, open surgery. MIS is presently being routinely performed in most fields of surgery and taught at many hospitals and institutions. MIS has gained increasing momentum and acceptance by both public and medical communities. The list of MIS procedures is increasing on a daily basis. Most surgical specialties now employ Minimal
Incision techniques where applicable. The benefits are fast recovery, less pain, less need for post-surgical pain medication, less scarring and less likelihood of complications.

With no screws, stitches, pins, wires, or hardware in the foot...

How does the bone get removed from the foot?

The "puncture" surgery procedure is a virtually painless way to erase bony enlargements, (i.e. bunions, heel spurs, hammertoes, corns, etc.) through tiny punctures in the foot using, specialized instruments, similar to those used in dentistry. The specialized bur fragmentizes the hard bone into soft bone which then mixes with the patient’s own blood to form a paste. This pasty material is then manually squeezed out through the original puncture site.

Advantages of "puncture" foot surgery

  1. Performed in an office setting. Your are awake and watching your favorite show

  2. Performed under local anesthesia–safer and less costly

  3. No blood tests, chest x-rays or EKGs are required. Pre-op clearance tests are unnecessary

  4. No crutches, walkers or scooters are needed. You can wear some sandals or slit open sneakers 

  5. Stitches are not necessary as only small, tiny punctures are used. There are NO lengthy skin incisions and no long scars

  6. No pins, wires, screws, or plates are used. Internal hardware or fixation is not necessary

  7. You will be able to drive within a couple of days

  8. You may have a pedicure with nail polish prior to your surgery. You do not have to remove any nail polish

  9. You do not have to fast 12 hours prior to surgery…enjoy a big breakfast or lunch before your procedure

  10. Small punctures mean quicker healing, less pain, less scarring and better cosmetic results

Common foot conditions

Hammer toes

A hammertoe is a deformity of the lesser toes where the toes become very contracted and develop painful corns or top.

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How long does it take to recover from hammer toe surgery?

6-8 weeks on average with no need for any stitches, pins, withdrawals or screws.

Bunions

A bunion is an enlargement of bone over the big toe joint with a deviation of the big toe pushing over onto the next toe. Also causing it to become a hammertoe.

Corns and calluses

Corns and calluses are thick, painful skin that the body forms over painful bony sites in order to provide some protection

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