If bunions are limiting your activities and causing pain, you have options.
There are different types of procedures or therapies your provider may
recommend. Labpiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction is a surgical option
you can discuss with your foot and ankle orthopedic specialist.
Are Bunions Limiting Your Activities and Lifestyle?
Bunions can be very painful. With each step, your entire body weight rests
on that bunion. Ouch! A common misconception about a bunion is that it
is an overgrowth of bone that can simply be "shaved off". In
reality, bunions are complex deformities caused by an unstable joint.
Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction
Relief is here. Now, there's a new, patented treatment for bunion correction
– Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction. IHS is offering this exciting,
new treatment option which does more than simply remove "the bump";
it addresses your bunion in three dimensions to correct the root of the
problem. Advanced fixation technology is used to secure the correction
in place, allowing patients to walk within days of surgery.
Why Was Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction Developed?
For 87% of people with bunions, traditional bunion correction surgery has
failed to get to the true source of the problem – a 3-dimensional
deformity caused by an unstable joint.2 This is why many people who have had traditional surgery have had their
bunions return.3 In fact, 1 in 3 patients have been left dissatisfied with their surgical
outcome in the past and up to 70% of those treated have had their bunion return.4
How Does Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™ Work?
Instead of cutting the bone in half and shifting the top part over, the
patented Lapiplasty® Procedure uses specially-designed instrumentation
to rotate the entire deviated bone back into its normal anatomical position,
naturally straightening your toe; removing the "bump" and associated
pain. Innovative titanium plating technology5,6 permanently secures the unstable foundation, the root of your bunion problem.
Most patients are able to walk within days of surgery.1 No cast is required; allowing patients to get back to the shoe wear of
their choice and activities quickly.1
What Should I Expect In Terms Of Recovery?
The patented titanium plating technology used with the Lapiplasty®
Procedure enables patients to bear weight on their foot early.1 The ability to do so can dramatically improve your recovery process, allowing
you to walk up to 6-8 weeks earlier than with the more traditional Lapidus
approach (which was previously the only option for addressing the unstable joint).
Being able to walk in a surgical boot, as opposed to being completely non-weight
bearing (in a cast with scooter or crutches) for 6-8 weeks, means that
you will be getting back to a better quality of life faster; may return
to most occupations more quickly; and will be less inconvenienced by bunion surgery.8
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some questions patients commonly ask and their respective answers:
How long does it take to recover from a Lapiplasty® Procedure?
Patients are typically walking within days of surgery. Patients can return
to most occupations within days to a couple of weeks, wearing a surgical
boot. Within six weeks, you can expect to be walking in comfortable shoes
such as tennis shoes, however you should not plan on any high-impact activities
for 3-4 months. Short shopping trips and leisurely strolls are examples
of the types of activities that should be fine at this point. Around the
4-month mark post-op, you should be able to return to most activities
and most shoe wear.9
Can I wear fashionable shoes again?
The Lapiplasty® Procedure allows most patients to return to their desired
shoes. Of course, some fashionable shoes can be painful (even with a normal
foot!), so results can vary from person to person and shoe to shoe.
Can I play sports after the Lapiplasty® Procedure?
Yes, there are no permanent activity limitations after the Lapiplasty®
Procedure. Most patients are able to return to most activities after the
bones have completely healed at approximately 4 months.9
Can the Lapiplasty® Procedure be performed on someone who has previously
had traditional surgery?
Yes, the Lapiplasty® Procedure is an option that can be utilized by
your doctor when a revision is required. Even if previously treated, patients
can experience the same benefits from Lapiplasty®– with a permanently
secured foundational joint this time around.
I’ve heard the term "reproducible" used when describing
the Lapiplasty® Procedure. What does that mean?
"Reproducible" means that a procedure is easily repeatable with
expected results. The Lapiplasty® Procedure utilizes precision, patented
instrumentation designed to take the guesswork and "eyeballing"
out of bunion surgery; helping ensure your surgeon can get reliable results
over and over.
Can the Lapiplasty® Procedure be performed as an outpatient procedure
& how long does it last?
Yes, Lapiplasty®surgeries are performed as outpatient procedures. Typically,
the surgery will last just under an hour. If your doctor is performing
any additional procedures at the same time, the surgery may take longer.
References
Smith B, Santrock R, Dayton P, Hatch D. Immediate Weight Bearing after
Biplanar Plantar Fixation of Lapidus: A Multi-Centered Study. 2017 AOFAS
Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA.
Kim Y, Kim JS, Young KW, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2015. 36:944-52.
Okuda R, Kinoshita M, Yasuda T, et al. JBJS. 2007. 89:2163-72.
Jeuken RM, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2016. 37:687-95.
Dayton P, Ferguson J, Hatch D, Santrock R, Scanlan S, Smith B. 2016. Comparison
of the Mechanical Characteristics of a Universal Small Biplane Plating
Technique Without Compression Screw and Single Anatomic Plate With Compression
Screw. J Foot Ankle Surg. 55:567-71.
Dayton P, Ferguson J, Hatch D, Santrock R, Scanlan S, Smith B. Biplanar
Plating with an Anatomic Tension-Side Plate for Lapidus Fusion: Improved
Biomechanical Properties. Accepted for presentation at 2017 AOFAS Annual
Meeting, Seattle, WA. Submitted for publication.
