Got bunions? A Woodlands doctor offers an alternative to shaving them off with a quicker recovery.

 

March 30, 2022 — In a recent article published by the Houston Chronicle, Dr. Fernando Fernandez, a podiatrist at Advanced Foot Care in The Woodlands, Texas, discussed what bunion deformities are, how they form and what options are available to treat them, including Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction^™. One of his patients, Miriam, also spoke about her experience undergoing the procedure.

“A lot of people think a bunion is just an outer growth of the bone,” said Dr. Fernandez. “But it’s much more than that.”

The actual problem is an unstable joint in the mid-foot. When the joint is unstable, the bone drifts out of alignment, causing a bump to form on the side of the big toe. Bunions are a progressive disorder and do not go away on their own. Every step may be painful-and if left untreated-bunions only get worse over time. 1

45-year-old Miriam first noticed her bunions as a teenager. Over time, they became so severe that no matter what type of shoes she wore, she experienced pain.

“I got used to it, to tell you the truth,” said Miriam. “I just thought that this was going to be the way it was.”

In the past, bunions were addressed by shaving off the protruding bump without addressing the bone deformity in the foot. Miriam knew that this wasn’t an option she wanted to go through with. She came across Dr. Fernandez while researching other surgical treatment options. Dr. Fernandez began performing Lapiplasty® about four years ago after learning about how the procedure addresses all three dimensions of the deformity by securing the bones in the foot in their proper positions. 2

Dr. Fernandez performed Miriam’s surgery in September 2020. She was able to walk about three days after surgery and wore a surgical boot for two months before transitioning back to sneakers once cleared. After seeing the results of the procedure, she scheduled surgery on her other foot for March 2021.

Miriam now enjoys wearing cute shoes and has returned to her normal activities. “My feet don’t bother me at all.”

Individual results vary. These experiences are specific to these patients only. Lapiplasty® is a surgical procedure. Potential risks include infection, pain, implant loosening, and loss of correction with improper bone healing.

Recovery takes time. For further information on the recovery process, follow this link to Recovery Information. Please consult your surgeon for a full understanding the postoperative care associated with the Lapiplasty® Procedure.