What is minimally invasive bunion surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery is an excellent option for correcting bunions.
Minimally invasive bunion surgery involves small "pokehole" incisions that can be as small as a few millimeters as opposed to the larger incisions associated with more traditional bunion correction techniques. Special instruments and x-ray's are used to perform surgery (we cover our patients with lead aprons to protect them from x-ray's and use a portable x-ray machine that is much smaller (and emits minimal radiation) compared to conventional x-ray's).
With MIS techniques, damage to muscles, tendons, and other surrounding structures is minimized.
With minimally invasive bunion surgery, you can expect the following benefits:
- Earlier weight-bearing (you can start putting weight on your foot in a protective boot on the day after surgery)
- Less scars (you will have a few tiny "pokehole" incisions that are a few millimeters in length)
- Less swelling
- Less pain (with the goal of minimizing narcotic use)
- Lower chance of infection
Activity after minimally invasive bunion surgery:
- You can start putting down weight on your foot (in a protective boot) starting the day after surgery
- You will have a special dressing on your foot that we will replace during your first postoperative visit (~10-14 days after surgery)
- 4 weeks after surgery, you will transition to using a removable toe spacer and start using a special carbon fiber insert in a regular, supportive shoe
- You can start non-impact exercise starting at ~6 weeks after surgery
- You can start impact exercise at ~ 3 months after surgery
- Of note, this timeline/plan can change if you have other procedures in addition to a Bunion correction and everyone's progress can vary
Notably, there are many options for correcting bunions. Most, but not all, can be corrected through minimally invasive surgery techniques. There are other excellent techniques to fix bunions.
