Common Surgeries Performed By Professional Foot Surgeons
25th Apr 2016
Our feet are one of the most extensively used areas in our bodies. Consequently it is of no surprise that this area is often affected by different kind of problems. People often tend to ignore the importance of foot health. They only become conscious of foot health when something is serious wrong with their foot. There are numerous problems that can affect the foot area. Some of them are fractures, bunions, muscular injuries, ankle instability and arthritis. While some of them are needed to be treated with medications and physiotherapy, there are others that must be treated with surgery. In such cases, an experienced foot surgeon can greatly help in bringing the foot or the affected areas of the feet back to normal health.
A foot surgeon can perform a wide range of surgical operations. Some of the most common ones are listed below:
Bunionectomy:
A bunionectomy procedure is carried out when bunions are needed to be removed from a patient’s foot. Bunions are painful inflammations that affect the big toes or the first joints. Bunions are often caused by wearing improper shoes for a long time. Sometimes they are also caused by hereditary factors. If bunions start developing on one foot, they should be treated as soon as possible. It is never wise to ignore bunions as they can ultimately lead to arthritis, thus causing major problems when it comes to wearing shoes. Professional foot surgeons can remove the bunion growths and restore foot health easily.
Capsulotomy:
Capsulotomy is a surgical procedure that is often carried out after bunionectomy. It involves cutting the tendons that are present on sides of the large toe for aiding proper realignment of the bones. During the procedure, the surgeons insert a joint capsule between the two bones for adjusting the alignment and holding the bones properly.
Osteotomy:
Osteotomy is a complex procedure that is performed by a foot surgeon in order to realign the toes after a bunionectomy has been carried out. This surgical operation is mainly divided into two basic procedures, namely proximal and distal. The distal procedure is performed by creating one or two incisions and setting the bone through them. The proximal procedure is carried out at the end part of the bone and may even require additional incisions for proper alignment of the bones. The main goal of the osteotomy procedure is to properly set the bones till the time they get perfectly aligned.
Neuromas:
Neuromas are often referred to as nerve tumors. These are benign growths of nerve tissues that develop frequently between the 3rd and 4th toes. These growths can cause severe pains on the foot and therefore are needed to be surgically removed as quickly as possible. Damaged tissues present around the nerves in joints give rise to neuromas. They can be removed easily by a foot surgeon.
Fusions:
If a person has suffered from severe injuries or accidents caused by vehicles or sports, then a surgeon might choose to insert screws in the bones for immobilizing the area and get rid of the pain.