Bunion surgery continues to be the most common foot and ankle surgery performed and there are many different procedures available. Not all of the procedures have equal outcomes.  The most common bunionectomy performed in the United States continues to be what is called an Austin bunionectomy or a head procedure.  This type of procedure is primarily used to correct mild to moderate bunions.  This procedure has great outcomes, as patients do well ambulatorily postoperatively.  Most patients will be back to activities fairly quickly and long-term results are good as long as there are no other foot deformities.  This type of bunion procedure is fairly straightforward and can be performed in 30-45 minutes.  Postoperative protocol is easy and pain level is generally mildly and well controlled with oral medications.

The second most common type of bunionectomies are for severe bunions or people with foot instability.  These procedures usually involve more in depth bunionectomy or stability type procedures.  The most common bunionectomy for this is what is called a Lapidus bunionectomy.  This procedure involves fusion of bones on the inside of the foot and provides great correction and increased stability for the foot itself.  This procedure can often involve a period of nonweightbearing or modified weightbearing and usually takes longer to heal from within the previously discusses bunion.  However it should be noted the recurrence rate with this type of bunionectomy is much less and the long-term outcomes are are great.  Again, it is important to address other foot structure issues as these can have effect on long-term results.

If you’re suffering from a bunion or foot pain, an evaluation is essential.  Call the office at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today so I can help.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brandon Nelson

Board-Certified Foot and Ankle Physician and Surgeon

Bunion surgery continues to be the most common foot surgery United States.  Tens of thousands are performed annually.  The vast majority of these are performed in an outpatient setting less than a couple hours.  A large percentage of these patients can begin weightbearing shortly after the procedure.

Currently there is a lot of literature around the Lapiplasty which is the device to help improve bunion correction.  The idea behind the device is a 3 plane correction of the bunion this been utilized for over 6 years and on over 35,000 patients.  Lateral last he device helps to correct, cut, compress and fixate the bunion procedure.

First component of the laminoplasty is correct.  The device is utilized to correct the bunion in all 3 cardinal planes by allowing and alignment correction or making any cuts in the bone.  A second component for contact performed via sisal J which allows an average cut between 2.4 and 3.1 mm average shortening.  Third component or compresses utilized to achieve compression of the joint while maintaining the 3-D correction.  The fourth and final fixate is plate system that has been biomechanically tested for multiple complaints stability and rapid return to weightbearing.

I have had experience using the lapiplasty system.  The Lapidus bunionectomy remains one of my most commonly performed surgical procedures.  It has great power of correction for large bunion deformities and patients with significant instability.  If you currently are experiencing bunion pain and are interested in the laminoplasty I am happy to help.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brandon Nelson

Board-certified American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons

Board-certified American College of Podiatric Medicine

Bunion pain is a common presentation at my clinic.  We see a large percentage of bunion patients wanting consultations for surgery.  Bunion surgery is highly successful and moderate techniques provide decrease healing times and decreased postoperative pain.  It is important to understand that there are many different types of bunion surgery that can be performed.  The primary indicator for bunion surgery selection is the overall foot structure and the size of the bunion.

Over the years I have seen many different types of bunion surgery come in and out of favor.  It is important to realize there are a few procedures that have been around for years and continue to be the work courses of bunion surgery.  The most common bunion surgery performed in the United States is was called a head procedure or an Austin type bunionectomy.

The Austin bunionectomy involves repairing of the small some medium size bunion.  It consists of cutting the first metatarsal head in a Chevron type fashion and then moving the head in a lateral position towards the fifth metatarsal.  Additionally some bone is typically shaved off the medial aspect or the inside of the first metatarsal head and some soft tissue is released laterally.  This is a great procedure provides wonderful correction in the majority of patients are able to fully walk after this procedure.

If you have bunion pain and are interested in having a surgical consultation please make an appointment today or give us a call at 425-391-8666 and I’ll happily help get it fixed. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Brandon Nelson

Board-certified American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons

Board-certified American Board of Podiatric Medicine

I have now been operating for about 15 years and can tell you bunion surgery has really changed. In the average week I correct 3-5 bunions and have now operated on 1000’s of bunions. Some bunions are small, and some are large and very complex, but all can be fixed. I continue to learn and research new techniques, and these have afforded me opportunities and skills to provide great outcomes and minimal down time.

In the past bunion surgery was done at the hospital and often required and overnight stay. Patients were placed in casts and often non-weight bearing for months. I have heard stories of patients being uncomfortable for weeks.

I can tell you techniques have changed, and I am happy to outline how the average patient experience goes at my clinic. My clinic has an onsite surgery center that provides a huge cost and time savings as compared to a free-standing surgery center or a hospital. Most bunion cases are completed in under 3 hours from the time one enters the clinic to when ones leaves. We utilize IV sedation which is safer and allows me to perform a nerve block for long term pain relief. Pain medication is only needed for a few days and many patients do not even take anything apart from an NSAID. Weight bearing status depends on any ancillary procedures, but most bunion patients can walk immediately after surgery.

If you have bunion and have been contemplating having it fixed make an appointment today and I will review your options and help you make an informed decision.

Sincerely,

Dr Brandon Nelson

Bunion surgery takes years to master and hundreds of procedures to become proficient. Experience is one of the best outcome predictors in addition to ongoing training and learning. As a physician part of our job is to constantly evaluate our own outcomes and explore techniques to improve our results. I continue to monitor my outcomes and satisfaction from patients. This has helped me to have a unique perspective on long term bunion surgery outcomes.

I have found that two bunion surgeries seem to be the most predictable procedures that have favorable results. They both have been around for years and have been utilized on hundreds of thousands of patients. These two procedures are the Austin and Lapidus bunionectomy.

The Austin is a procedure that is preformed on the head of the first metatarsal. It involves the release of some soft tissue around the bone and then cutting and sliding the bone back into position. This procedure works very well on smaller bunions with no foot instability. It has a quick recovery and can be done in under 1 hr.

The second is procedure the Lapidus or Lapiplasty is the work horse of bunion surgery. It utilized on larger bunions, people with foot instability or juveniles. It provides great correction and incredible long-term results. It involves release of some soft tissue structures around the head of the first metatarsal, then realignment of the first metatarsal and a tarsometatarsal fusion. It can take about 2 hours and has a longer recovery.

If you have a bunion, I would be glad to help you evaluate it and weigh your options between conservative and surgical correction. Give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 

Dr. Brandon Nelson

Board Certified Foot & Ankle Surgeon

Bunion surgery can be overwhelming to think about, really any surgery can. In general, I see a few patients a day with questions about their bunions and about bunion surgery. I believe the process can be simplified when the surgeon you see has both experience and timelines to help you understand the entire process.

Most bunion surgeries can be done in an outpatient setting. At my office office, we are lucky enough to have an onsite surgery center which is both a huge cost and time savings. It also allows me to operate on more bunions and has provided me with a well of experience. It is important to understand that experience and the number of bunions a surgeon sees makes a dramatic difference.

Most bunion surgeons do two types of procedures one in the head of the 1st metatarsal and one in the base. The 1st metatarsal is the bone with the bunion deformity. The head procedures allow patients to walk right after surgery and is used for small to medium bunions. The base procedures usually require about 3-4 weeks of non-weight bearing. This procedure is usually for pediatrics or larger bunions. Both can provide excellent correction when used appropriately.

If you are thinking about bunion surgery come see me and I can be of some help with the process. Give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 

Bunion surgery is by far the most common surgical procedure that I perform. That is why I developed the Washington Bunion Center. We use state of the art equipment, the latest techniques all to provide the best possible patient experience and outcomes. We have advanced protocols for pain control after surgery and to decrease healing time. Additionally, I minimize surgery time for a better patient outcome, reducing things like post-operative nausea and grogginess regardless of the type of bunion surgery needed.

The average bunion surgery requires cutting of the bone or fusion of a joint. These are the two most common bunion surgeries to date. Regardless of the procedure needed I can make sure patients are walking immediately after surgery or within a few days by utilizing special techniques and weight bearing options. This had taken years to develop and the reason I am able to do this is related to years and years of experience.

This experience is what sets me apart from other bunion surgeons. I have fixed so many bunions over the last 15 years that is has provided me with invaluable skill and knowledge that results in excellent outcomes. I feel that by combining these two attributes’ patients have the best possible results. If you are thinking about fixing your bunion schedule an appointment today so I can help.

Give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 

Bunion surgery is by far the most common foot surgery in the United States. The number of bunion surgeries performed per year in the U.S. is about 150,000. The majority of these bunion surgeries are done in an outpatient setting and take less than 1.5 hours.

What is a bunion?

Please watch the following video for more information on a bunion;

https://www.bestfootdoc.com/patient-education-videos

So, what is the most common bunionectomy to date? The answer is a distal osteotomy or cutting of the bone towards the head of the metatarsal. This procedure is called an Austin bunionectomy.

Please watch the following video to learn more about bunion procedures; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_D0NhTZOyY

Bunion surgery does not need to be scary or overwhelming we are here to help.

Give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online.