Surgery has notably transformed from the days of yore. We’ve developed more effective, targeted, safer anesthetics. Surgeons use more precise instruments and learn techniques that protect the patient. Increasingly, technology offers advantages here, too. Some surgeons now use robotic arms as assistants, for example.
Cameras deliver notable gains in the surgical field, as well. With tiny cameras magnified on a viewscreen, surgeons can work through keyhole incisions to perform minimally invasive procedures. If you need foot or ankle surgery, it’s worth finding out if you’re a candidate for this kind of surgery.
We offer podiatric surgery consultations at our Vittori Foot & Ankle Specialist offices in Homer Glen and New Lenox, Illinois. Christopher Vittori, DPM, completed his residency in foot and ankle surgery, and Ameet Thakrar, DPM, received extensive training in operative foot treatment. They can tap their expertise to help you figure out if your foot or ankle needs surgery. If you do, we then help you find out if minimally invasive surgery is right for you.
The big difference in minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery comes down to smaller incisions. That’s what makes the procedure less invasive than traditional surgery.
Because they use tiny cameras (arthroscopes) to see what’s going on inside the incision, surgeons don’t need to create a large cut. With minimally invasive techniques, they can now perform procedures through incisions that are about 75% smaller than traditional incisions.
With a smaller incision, your body has less to heal afterward. That can mean a faster recovery time with less discomfort. The smaller cut also creates less opportunity for infection to develop, which lowers your risk of complications.
To start, to be a good candidate for this kind of procedure, your foot or ankle needs to require care that can be performed through tiny incisions. Fortunately, thanks to medical advancements, surgeons can use this technique for many common foot and ankle procedures.
That includes surgery for:
Sometimes, your foot or ankle problems need care that requires a larger incision. Our team can help you figure out if we can perform what you need with minimally invasive surgery, or if traditional surgery would be better.
No matter what kind of surgery you need, we talk you through what to expect and what your recovery period should look like. In the vast majority of cases, foot and ankle surgery is outpatient. That means you can go home the same day.
To see if minimally invasive surgery could be right for your foot or ankle, book a consultation with our team. Call us at Vittori Foot & Ankle Specialist, or schedule the appointment online today.
