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Bunion Correction | Lapiplasty® Procedure

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Bunion Correction

A bunion is not just a "bump" you can shave off your foot, it's the result of instability of a joint in the arch of your foot. The solution is to fix what's causing the problem - at Augusta University Health- we can do that!

AU Health Care Center - Podiatry
901 Magnolia Drive
Aiken, SC 29803
803-648-6988
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Got bunions? Is the pain limiting your activities and lifestyle? Then come see Dr. Sich, one of AU Health's podiatric surgeons, for Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™.

Got bunions? Is the pain limiting your activities and lifestyle? Then come see Dr. Sich, one of AU Health's podiatric surgeons, for Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™.

What is Lapiplasty®

First, let's talk about bunions. Bunions can be very painful. With each step, your entire body weight rests upon that bunion. Conservative treatment options can help alleviate pain but will not fix the problem because bunions are a progressive disorder that will not go away on its own without surgical correction.2

While traditional 2D osteotomy surgery merely cuts and shifts the bone to address the cosmetic "bump", Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™ does more — it corrects the entire bone in 3D and secures the unstable foundation to get you back on your feet quickly in a walking boot. The Lapiplasty® Procedure has also shown low recurrence - 97% and 99% maintain 3D correction in 13 and 17 months respectively.1,3

A New Era in Bunion Surgery is Here.

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While the majority of bunion surgery is only 2D and fails to address the root cause, Lapiplasty® provides a 3D correction and secures the unstable joint.

The first to bring Lapiplasty® to Augusta, Georgia

AU Health was the first in the area to offer the Lapiplasty® Procedure to patients looking for another way to treat their bunions. Our surgeon, Dr. George Sich, has been performing this specialized orthopaedic corrective surgery for years. He is not only an AU Health attending, he is also the Podiatric Surgical Residency Directory at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center.

As Georgia's only teaching hospital, we train the next generation of orthopedic surgeons, as well podiatric surgeons, working with podiatric surgical residents from the VA Medical Center.

We'll get you back on your feet quickly

A typical recovery timeline is detailed below. However, recovery time and doctor's orders vary based on each patient's condition. Be sure to ask your doctor what your particular recovery protocol will look like. Here's what you might typically expect:

  • Within Days: Begin to put some weight on your foot.1
  • Next 4-6 Weeks: Walk in a boot and return to daily activities.
  • At 6-8 Weeks: Transition back into comfortable shoes.
  • At 4-6 Months: Resume most activities and return to normal footwear.

The Positive Effect of Lapiplasty®

Americans are affected by a bunion deformity.

of Lapiplasty® patients maintained their 3D bunion correction at 13 months.

average days for Lapiplasty® patients to begin bearing weight on their operative foot in a boot.

clinical publications directly support the Lapiplasty® procedure.

Results of Lapiplasty surgery on left foot
Lapiplasty® Procedure - left foot
Results of Lapiplasty surgery on right foot
Lapiplasty® Procedure - right foot

 

Yes, good news — Most insurances and Medicare do typically cover bunionectomy and joint fusion procedures that utilize the Lapiplasty® System when the procedures are medically necessary.

Your doctor’s office can reach out to your provider to determine your specific level of coverage and communicate coverage back to you after he/she has had a chance to evaluate you and make a surgical plan.

Yes, the Lapiplasty® Procedure is performed as an outpatient procedure. It can be performed either in a surgical center setting or in a hospital setting with the average surgery time around a hour.

Of course, if you have other procedures performed simultaneously along with Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™, that will influence the length of surgery time — however, an overnight stay will not be required and you will return home, the same day of surgery

Yes. After the Lapiplasty® Procedure recovery period is completed, and your foot has healed, you should be able to wear whatever footwear you would normally wear!

The Lapiplasty® Procedure has been used effectively on highly active patients. Most patients can return to low-impact activities at 3 months after surgery. And, typically patients are released to return to full activity, including impact sports, at 4-6 months.

Yes. It is possible to have a failed 2D bunion surgery corrected and have an excellent clinical outcome. It will be up to a doctor to do an evaluation of your foot in order to tell you if this could work for your particular and unique condition.

References

1. Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960.
2. American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons website
3. Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2020, 59(2): 291-297.

 

 

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