You would like to resolve an annoying and increasingly painful foot or ankle problem, but you are hesitant to consider surgery. For some injuries and chronic conditions, such as bunions and fractures, minimally invasive surgery can ease your pain and speed up the healing process. It might sound frightening at first, but once you learn about the procedure and hear about the experience and success rate the board-certified surgeons at Annapolis Foot & Ankle Center bring to the table, you will be able to make an informed decision with peace of mind.
What Is Minimally Invasive Surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery uses advanced techniques and special tools to address problems that affect the feet and ankles. It makes smaller incisions than traditional surgery, allowing for quicker recovery times, a lower risk of complications, and improved treatment outcomes.
What Problems Can Benefit From Minimally Invasive Surgery?
Annapolis Foot & Ankle Center uses minimally invasive surgery to treat a variety of foot-related health problems, including:
- Bunions
- Hammertoes
- Bone spurs
- Neuromas
- Ingrown toenails
- Plantar plate tears
- Fractures
- Sports injuries
- Foot and ankle arthritis
You might also benefit from minimally invasive surgery if you experience a plantar plate tear.
Do I Qualify for Minimally Invasive Surgery?
To determine if you qualify for minimally invasive surgery, our doctors will review your medical history, asks about your symptoms, and physically examines your feet and ankles. During the exam, your provider gently presses on the areas of your foot or ankle that cause you pain, looking for signs of redness, warmth, or swelling.
If a physical observation isn’t enough to pinpoint the cause of your discomfort, your provider might ask you to perform a series of strength and range of motion exercises. They might also order X-rays, a CT scan, or an MRI to assess the bones, joints, and soft tissues in your feet or ankles. Let your provider know if you take any prescription medications or nutritional supplements. Also, alert them if you have an underlying health problem like high blood pressure or diabetes, as they may increase the risk of complications.
Once we have diagnosed your condition and assessed your overall health and well-being, we will discuss your treatment options, which might include surgery.
What Does Minimally Invasive Surgery Involve?
Annapolis Foot & Ankle Center performs minimally invasive surgery on an outpatient basis. For some procedures, your provider will administer general anesthesia, putting you to sleep. Once you’re comfortable, they make several small incisions in your foot or ankle. Your provider inserts special tools through the incisions and uses an endoscope—a skinny tube with a camera at the end—to guide treatment.
After removing damaged bone or tissue from your foot or ankle, your provider removes the tools and stitches your incisions up. Following surgery, your provider moves you to a recovery room for observation. When the anesthesia wears off, they provide you with recovery instructions and prescribe antibiotics and pain medication.
With other procedures, such as ingrown toenail removal, a local anesthetic will be used, and you will be back on your feet on the same day.
Trust Our Three Decades of Surgical Experience to Resolve Your Foot or Ankle Problem
With over 30 years of providing foot and ankle care in Central Maryland, our board-certified surgeons are committed to finding the least-invasive solution to your foot your ankle issue, but we are prepared to provide whatever care is necessary to resolve your pain. For some of our patients, that means undergoing outpatient, minimally invasive surgery.
Whether you see us in our office in Annapolis, Stevensville, or Glen Burnie, you will have access to our full range of treatments and therapies. Schedule your evaluation to find out if minimally invasive surgery is right for you.
