How does minimally invasive bunion surgery work?
Minimally invasive bunion surgery is performed using a burr, instead of a saw, to cut the bone. This allows the cuts to be made “percutaneously,” or through tiny incisions made through the skin of the foot, instead of the long incisions most often used in traditional techniques.
By avoiding large incisions, fewer soft tissues (skin, muscle, joint capsule, etc.) are disrupted, so the foot is less swollen and painful after surgery. This allows for immediate weightbearing, faster bone healing and a quicker return to baseline activity levels. I perform two types of minimally invasive bunion correction, depending on the severity of a patient’s bunion:
- For mild to moderate bunions, I use the PECA, or Percutaneous Chevron Akin, technique. This involves cutting the first metatarsal bone and the big toe bone, repositioning them to correct the alignment
- For severe bunions, I perform the (minimally invasive, or MIS) Percutaneous Lapidus technique. This involves repositioning and fusing a joint closer to the arch and also cutting the toe bone. We are able to correct the bunion in all three planes (including rotation) using my own developed technique. While most surgeons use a large incision, a saw, and large plates for this type of correction, I use a burr and place screws through tiny incisions. Similar to the PECA technique, this surgery also allows early weightbearing with less pain, a better cosmetic outcome, and faster return to work and sport.
