We believe in educating our patients, along with exhausting all possible treatment options before recommending surgery. If it turns out that surgical intervention is required, we provide each patient and their family with a full understanding of the procedure, the risks and complications, as well as a thorough understanding of the post-surgical rehabilitation process.
Our office performs surgical treatment on a number of foot and ankle conditions, including:
Patients that suffer from chronic ankle pain that has not been alleviated by traditional, conservative and surgical treatment options may be a candidate for an ankle replacement.
Ankle replacements should not be used for initial treatment of ankle problems and are usually reserved for correction of significant ankle deformities and severely arthritic joints, both of which may have been caused by an acute or previous injury or by the deterioration of the joint over time.
We proudly carry STAR™ Ankle devices. The STAR™ Ankle is used worldwide for more ankle replacements than any other device. It has a long clinical history – the current design has been in use for over 20 years, and prior generations of the STAR were approved for use as early as 1978. The STAR is the only 3-piece mobile-bearing total ankle available in the United States, as approval for such a device in the US requires a rigorous FDA PMA process that is very expensive and time-consuming. The process to get the STAR approved took nearly 10 years, and was approved in 2009.
An ankle replacement is similar to other total joint implants of the knee or hip in that the joint is replaced with an artificial device that mimics the function of the joint it is meant to replace. However, ankle replacement devices have far less of a history than hip or knee implants and are being modified and improved regularly.
The best option is to avoid an ankle replacement entirely, so don’t ignore your ankle pain. Be evaluated as soon as ankle pain develops or immediately following any injury.
Many different devices for ankle joint replacements exist. Contact Talus inMotion Foot & Ankle to determine if an ankle replacement is right for you.
You might actually be wondering, what is Morton’s Neuroma, and what its relation to foot pain is. Morton’s neuroma is when the nerve in the ball of your foot starts to swell. This causes discomfort, tingling sensations, and numbness in your foot. Morton’s neuroma isn’t a condition, but it is an indication of an underlying pathology. People, who participate in sports that place a heavy demand on your feet, and women who wear high heels regularly, are usually the most at risk.
Morton’s neuroma is very widespread and painful. Typical symptoms include numbness in your toes, an aching pain very well localized in the ball of the foot. It is typically between the 3rd and 4th toes, but can also be found between the 2nd and 3rd toes. It is rare to see this in both feet, and occasionally can be found in both feet. If it is not a neuroma it could be a ganglion, bursa, or rupture of the metatarsal phalangeal joint.
When you experience discomfort in the ball of your foot, you might be suffering from Morton’s neuroma.
There are several ways to treat a neuroma, but first, its presence must be confirmed. Typically a series of X-rays are taken, then a diagnostic ultrasound is performed. Between these two tests plus the doctor’s examination, the diagnosis can be made, occasionally an MRI is required. Conservative home therapy consists of properly fitting shoes, pads that separate the affected metatarsal bones, appropriate biomechanical control with foot, orthotics.
Tight-fitting shoes and high heels aggravate the symptoms. For this reason, women are far likely to develop Morton’s neuroma than men.
The first step in treating a neuroma is utilizing pure alcohol injections, a series of 3-7 may be needed at 10-14 day intervals. The alcohol shrinks the outer covering of the nerve, thereby alleviating your discomfort, making the neuroma go away. If you achieve 30-40% relief after 3 then it is worth moving on to a few more injections. Otherwise, two other options must be considered to treat this problem.
There will be times when surgery is recommended or necessary. Here are a few types of techniques performed:
The M.I.N.D. Procedure – Minimally Invasive Neuroma Decompression is a technique that inserts a small instrument that releases the metatarsal ligament, which is pressing down on the swollen irritated nerve.
Alternatively, there is excising (removing ) the swollen irritated nerve, this is typically the last step, should all of the other methods fail to alleviate your pain.
One encouraging fact is that up to 90% of all patients respond to alcohol injection therapy and do not require Morton’s neuroma surgery. Talk to your podiatrist to find out your best options. You should always get checked by a podiatrist before agreeing to any kind of foot surgery.
Contact Talus inMotion Foot & Ankle to schedule a consultation today.
Plantar Fasciitis Surgery is a common endoscopic surgery focused on the heel of the foot. Most heel injuries can be treated by many other options if they are taken care of early. However, once the heel injury becomes chronic, surgery is often required.
Any endoscopic surgery is done by using an endoscope. An endoscope is an instrument (similar to an arthroscope) hollow, thin, flexible tube that makes use of a lens or miniature camera to visually examine the interior. Examining the body with an endoscope is referred to as an endoscopy, where the surgeon can see the exact area where the damage has occurred in the foot, and repair it with the help from what is seen through the endoscope.
In this case, a portion of the ligament (plantar fascia) is released on the bottom of the foot, which helps to relieve pressure from the ligament that is affecting the bone.
Endoscopic surgery is less invasive and traumatic than other types of surgery, helping many patients get their feet repaired with much quicker recovery time. In many cases, it can be completed on an outpatient basis. This is very important because we need the support of our feet for everything we do, and when you have foot pain, it can affect your lifestyle.
