Bunions

How do you check out your doctor?

SURGICAL BOARD CERTIFICATION: (ABPS = American Board of Podiatric Surgery) This is the gold standard of the surgical testing boards. For years, we have considered this a basic qualification. But not everyone agrees. Maybe this is because the pass rate for the ABPS exam is only 40%. There are many substitute (read "easier") boards around for physicians to take. So, be specific when you inquire. The ABPS is also split into two parts: 1. Forefoot Surgery, and 2. Rearfoot and Ankle Surgery. We are boarded in both.

Also, check with your local hospitals to see if your surgeon is on staff there. Hospitals have more stringent requirements than required by Virginia for office-only based physicians. You might ask the recommendation from the O.R. or Recovery Room nurses at your local hospital. They see everyone's work!

LASER BOARD CERTIFICATION: (ASLMS = American Board of Laser Medicine and Surgery) This board exam is for physicians and laser researchers. A doctor has to know everything about lasers to take and pass this board. Taking the part which is also given to research scientists also makes it a little tougher. This exam tests a wide scope of laser knowledge. If your doctor uses laser, ask him about this. Few have it. Physicians have to go out of their way to take this.

QUALITY ASSURANCE BOARD CERTIFICATION: (ABQUARP = American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians) Quite a mouthful. A national organization for health professionals involved in Q.A. work. This means that they work to set the "standard of care" in delivering medicine or surgery for other doctors, insurance companies, state regulations, and hospitals.

There are only 3 Podiatrists in the U.S. holding all 3 board certifications.

How do we do this with laser?
We ALWAYS do!
Click for the laser section!

Fine scar typical with the laser incision.

Before you see the photos below, this patient of ours sent us her photograph taken at the Himalayas (Mt. Everest is in the background). She came to us with a "moderate" bunion requiring reconstructive surgery.

And she climbed this, the highest mountain range in the world 2 months after we performed her laser-augmented Bunionectomy!
Although she had some problems with the excusion, she had no foot problems!

Preoperative X-Rays tell the true story.
Many careful angular measurements are taken.

Closing Base Wedge Osteotomy (CBWO), Reserved for "severe" bunion deformities.
X-Ray showing good correction and linear alignment.
All fixation is painlessly removable.
Our philosophy - "if you weren't born with it - we won't leave in anything if we can help it."

Clinical presentation of the "severe" bunion deformity.
Don't let your deformities get like this!

Preop schematic of the "mild" bunion.

Solution is a capsule-tendon balance and bump removal.

LEFT = Preop schematic of the "moderate" bunion.
Note increased spreading between 1st and 2nd metatarsals.

RIGHT = Solution is moving the metatarsal head over,
which will give good alignment with minimal chance of recurrence.

(Most bunion recurrence problems arise because of improper selection of procedure.)

Preop schematic of the "severe" bunion.

Severe bunion correction requires more proximal wedge placement.
Bump removal as before.

LASER augmented bunionectomy.
Faster, minimal bleeding and pain. Easy on the patient AND the surgeon.

SURGICAL SECTION - What we Fix.

SURGICAL SECTION - Bunionectomy

Go to BUNIONECTOMY

SURGICAL SECTION - Tailor's Bunionectomy

Go to TAILOR'S BUNIONECTOMY

SURGICAL SECTION - Neuromas

Go to NEUROMAS

SURGICAL SECTION - Hammertoes

Go to HAMMERTOES

SURGICAL SECTION - Warts and Plantar Lesions

Go to WARTS

SURGICAL SECTION - Heel Spurs

Go to HEEL SPURS / PLANTAR FASCIITIS

SURGICAL SECTION - Life in the Office!

Go to THE OFFICE - Candid photos !!

BACK UP to RF&A Homepage

Back up to Roanoke Foot & Ankle

"These are the RESULTS which SELL THEMSELVES"
Ref: See Publications - Laser v. Conventional Surgery.

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