The decision to undergo surgery is always a serious one. Indeed, even a “minor” surgery like a bunionectomy can have a big impact on your future health and happiness. As such, it’s important for individuals who are suffering from bunions to understand the options they can choose to address bunion pain.
At Northwest Surgery Center, we’re experts in a groundbreaking technique known as minimally invasive surgery. Today, we’ll take a closer look at this procedure and address specifically how minimally invasive surgery lessens bunion surgery scars, and why it’s preferable in almost every way to traditional bunion surgery.
While some people may consider bunions to be a small inconvenience, individuals who have to deal with bunion pain on a regular basis know just how frustrating and debilitating bunions can truly be. The bad news is that the only way to treat the root cause of a bunion is to have it removed through a surgical procedure. Over-the-counter products like bunion sleeves and pads will only –– at best –– help alleviate some acute bunion pain in the short term.
To put it mildly, traditional bunion surgery is unpleasant. Individuals who choose traditional bunion surgery will typically have to budget for a several-day stay in the hospital for recovery. That’s because traditional bunion surgery can be quite intense. The procedure calls for a surgeon to make a large incision along the side of the foot –– sometimes around six inches long –– in order to remove the bunion and also to (sometimes) insert metal screws to hold the alignment of the foot together. Note here that the size and severity of the bunion will often have an effect on scarring as well as recovery.
Traditional bunion surgery recovery time may take more than six months. Worse, because of the nature of the procedure, individuals may experience severe, permanent, and occasionally painful scarring along the side of their foot for years.
The main reason why minimally invasive surgery causes less scarring than traditional methods is because it’s a less damaging procedure. Rather than cutting open the entire foot to remove a bunion, surgeons who perform minimally invasive bunion surgery only have to make very small incisions (¼ of an inch) to address the root cause of bunion pain. So not only is the surgery less stressful and damaging on the foot, but it also requires significantly less recovery time. (You can check out some before-and-after surgery photos here for reference.)
As opposed to traditional bunion surgery, most patients who undergo minimally invasive surgery are able to leave the operating room on their own two feet and drive home afterward. What’s more, full recovery time may only take between 1-5 weeks. Though, individuals may resume some light activities in the meantime while wearing a small, postoperative shoe.
The decision to have minimally invasive bunion surgery will improve your life today and protect your feet in the future as well. At Northwest Surgery Center, our team has the skills and the experience to help you address any foot-health problems that may be troubling you. Contact us here to learn more or to schedule an appointment today!
To learn more about our minimally invasive surgery procedures or to inquire about getting a bunionectomy, contact the experts at Northwest Surgery Center or download our free “Guide to Minimally Invasive Foot & Ankle Surgery”!
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