Lapiplasty (Bunion Surgery)
If you find yourself struggling to find comfortable shoes daily because of a bunion, life could be much better if the bunion was corrected. Lapiplasty surgery is a highly effective procedure that allows for the correction of the underlying cause of bunions. Lapiplasty surgery can allow you to get back on your feet quickly.
What is Lapiplasty?
Bunion surgery allows for the removal of the “bump” that many people attribute to bunions. If you have bunions, older treatments focused on shaving off or removing the bump itself, but they did nothing to treat the underlying condition causing that to occur. Lapiplasty is a significantly different treatment option that works to manage one of the underlying causes of bunions, which is the unstable joint that’s located in the middle of the foot.
Lapiplasty is a type of 3D correction of the unstable joint. When completed, it creates a secure, stable joint you can walk on with ease and without a high risk of bunions recurring.
What are the Benefits of Lapiplasty Over Other Procedures?
Lapiplasty results are superior to previous 2D osteotomy surgery. Older bunion procedures involved the removal of the bunion bump and then a shift of the bone in only one plane as needed to correct the condition. The 2D osteotomy did not address the joint’s instability or the rotation, which is a common reason why bunions occur again.
In Lapiplasty, the procedure is a 3D procedure that corrects the entire bone and secures the foundation. As a result, people are back on their feet quickly with less joint stiffness, and there is a much lower recurrence of bunions. There’s a ~98% treatment success rate without recurrence in most situations.
The benefits of this procedure include:
- Returning the body to the proper alignment
- improvement of the unstable joint that causes bunions to form
- faster recovery with most people able to walk in a boot within 4-6 weeks
- better long-term treatment with a lower risk of recurrence
What to Expect During the Lapiplasty Procedure for Bunions
The first step is a consultation to determine if you are a candidate for this procedure. During this process, the surgeon will discuss the options for treatment while also talking about any symptoms you have, the type and amount of pain you feel, and how bunions impact your quality of life.
If you are a good candidate, your surgeon will schedule you for outpatient surgery. Your surgeon will evaluate your overall medical health to ensure that you are a good candidate for the surgery. The surgeon will cut the bone and both shift and rotate the malaligned bone during the procedure. This is done to position the bone into the anatomically correct position, thus removing the bump that is present and the pain that is typically associated with it.
The surgery is often performed under both local and general anesthesia You may need some time to recover afterward before going home the same day, in most cases.
You will be given all your post-operative instructions prior to surgery as well as answer any questions you have about the procedure.
How Long is Bunion Surgery Recovery?
Each person’s outcome may be a bit different. However, most people are back to walking in a boot within 4-6 weeks. About 8-10 weeks after the procedure, most people are walking again in comfortable shoes. Within 3-4 months, most patients are back to their normal activities. Results may differ from person to person.
You may find that your recovery is faster than this, but it is always beneficial to work closely with your doctor to avoid any complications.
If a bunion is causing pain in your feet, schedule an appointment with Waco Foot & Ankle to determine your treatment options and get you. back on your feet!