Lapiplasty Bunion Surgery
Lapiplasty bunion surgery is a novel technique developed to address the root cause of bunions. Instead of simply “shaving off” a bunion, it addresses the unstable joint that’s at the foundation of the problem and is prone to recurrence.
This breakthrough procedure fuses the foot bone using titanium plates. This enables patients to bear weight on their foot early, dramatically improving the recovery process.
What is Lapiplasty?
A bunion is a bump that forms on the side of the big toe, at the metatarsal bone (the long bones in the foot). Bunions can cause pain and discomfort in your feet, especially when walking or standing for long periods.
Most people develop bunions as a result of a joint that isn’t aligned correctly in the middle of their feet. This is often caused by wearing tight, narrow shoes that pinch the joint.
Lapiplasty is a new, minimally invasive procedure that corrects the bunion by shifting and rotating the misaligned bone back to its normal position in all three dimensions of deformity. It fixes the underlying cause of the deformity and permanently prevents the bunion from recurrence.
This procedure is much less painful than traditional bunion surgery. Many patients recover fully and are able to return to work, sporting activities, and their daily routines within days of surgery.
How Does Lapiplasty Work?
Lapiplasty bunion surgery is a unique procedure that addresses the root cause of your foot problem. Unlike traditional surgery that only reduces the size of the bunion, this approach restores proper alignment and removes the bump.
The Lapiplasty procedure is a precise, patented method of correcting your bunion by using precision instrumentation to move the metatarsal bone into its normal position. This ensures that your doctor can get reliable results each and every time.
In addition, the Lapiplasty procedure secures the unstable foundation of your corrected bunion with two small, anatomically-shaped titanium plates. This secures the foundation on multiple planes, making it much easier to walk a few days after surgery.
The resulting results are permanent, as the corrected bunion cannot return. In fact, most patients report that their bunion is gone for good.
What Can I Expect from Lapiplasty Surgery?
Bunions are caused by a structural imbalance in your foot. This is typically hereditary but can also occur due to injuries or arthritis.
Lapiplasty bunion surgery corrects the underlying cause of your bunion – the unstable joint causing the deformity – to reduce pain and improve function. It also helps prevent future recurrences of your bunion.
Unlike traditional bunion surgery, Lapiplasty directly addresses the problem of joint instability by shifting your bone and realigning it with stabilizing titanium plates. This effectively reduces the chances of recurrence and ensures your toe joints will stay aligned so you can walk with confidence.
How Long Will Lapiplasty Surgery Take?
The Lapiplasty procedure is an outpatient surgery and patients typically go home the same day. They will likely be sent home in a walking boot and instructed to rest their foot until it heals.
Although there is no hard and fast rule of thumb, most patients return to walking in a pair of shoes around 6-7 weeks post-surgery. This time frame is also when most patients will begin to slowly increase their activity level and return to low impact exercise.
The recovery time depends largely on your age, weight and severity of the bunion. The patented titanium plating used in the Lapiplasty procedure allows for a faster recovery than traditional surgery. The most important thing to remember is that your recurrence rate will be much lower than with traditional bunion surgery.
Can Lapiplasty Help Me?
Bunions are a painful, complex deformity that can limit your ability to walk and enjoy the activities you love. They often cause pain when you stand, run or walk and can make it difficult to wear comfortable shoes.
In traditional bunion surgery, the ‘bump’ is shaved and shifted to reduce its appearance. However, this only treats the bunion symptoms; it does not correct the root cause – an unstable joint that causes the metatarsal bone to misalign and protrude.
Lapiplasty bunion surgery focuses on the root cause, fixing the unstable joint and preventing the bunion from returning. This approach has been proven to be more effective in correcting bunions and is a much better option than traditional 2D bunion surgery. The procedure uses advanced fixation technology, allowing many patients to bear weight on their foot within days of surgery, as opposed to the six weeks required with traditional bunionectomy.
