Introduction to Percutaneous Surgery
Percutaneous surgery is a surgical technique that uses millimetric incisions to treat various foot deformities such as bunions and claw toes with minimal tissue trauma and early recovery. This approach, which has been widely advocated by experts such as Dr JM San Román for over 40 years.
What does the procedure consist of?
Percutaneous surgery is used in the treatment of common foot pathologies, such as bunions (hallux valgus) and claw or hammer toes. The technique uses incisions of between 2 and 5 millimetres to access the affected structure without the need for open surgery. The procedure is usually performed under local anaesthesia.
Unlike some open surgical methods, where it is possible for the deformity to recur, percutaneous surgery reduces this risk if performed accurately on patients who are candidates for the procedure.
Are screws or needles used?
Percutaneous surgery is distinguished by the fact that no osteosynthesis material such as screws, needles or surgical staples are used. Instead, anatomical portals are created to access the area and perform osteotomies (bone cuts) or tenotomies (partial tendon cuts) under the guidance of a fluoroscope, which allows real-time visualisation of the bone tissue during the procedure to achieve the desired correction. Subsequently, the millimetre incisions may require a stitch and are fixed by a specialised functional bandage that allows the patient to ambulate without difficulty after surgery on both feet.
Benefits of Percutaneous Surgery
The main goal of percutaneous foot surgery is to optimise the patient experience on several fronts. Firstly, this technique focuses on improving patient comfort during the postoperative period. Because the incisions are minimal, tissue trauma is significantly reduced, leading to a decrease in post-surgical pain and swelling.
This, in turn, allows for a faster and more efficient recovery, enabling the patient to resume daily activities in a shorter period of time. Percutaneous foot surgery also offers advantages in terms of surgical precision, which contributes to more predictable results and a reduction in the recurrence rate of the treated deformity.
After the procedure, patients are able to walk unassisted, using only specialised orthopaedic footwear, which not only facilitates mobility but also minimises the risk of post-surgical complications such as infection or thrombus. In short, percutaneous foot surgery is presented as a highly effective and safe alternative, marking a milestone in the surgical treatment of foot deformities.
If you have any foot deformities or pain such as bunions or claw toes, we recommend that you request a specialist foot surgery. At Clínica San Román, we have more than 40 years of experience in the practice of percutaneous foot surgery. Our medical team, led by Dr. JM San Román, has been a pioneer in the introduction and development of these advanced surgical techniques in Europe since the early 1980s.
