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austin bunionectomy


Bunion surgery continues to be one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States.  In the United States approximately 150,000 are operated on annually.  The satisfaction and success rate are high, and most patients are happy with their outcomes.

It is important be well prepared for bunion surgery and I will discuss a few tips that will make the process easier.

1.     Make sure you are prepared before the day of surgery and have somebody to help for the first 24 hours

2.     Set up a central command, ie a bed downstairs that you have all your necessary items near.  Your medications, a bathroom, and some entertainment.

3.     Bathroom - you may want to investigate a booster seat for your toilet. It can be difficult if it is too low to stand up once seated.

4.     Shower, consider a shower chair or stool

5.     Cast cover of something to keep your leg dry

6.     Vitamin supplements, I like collagen and bone healing supplements

7.     Understand your post-operative course

8.     Icing - do not underestimate the importance of icing and elevation for the first 72 hours. 

9.     Exercise to prevent blood clot, ankle rotations, leg lifts.

I hope you find some of these tips helpful. If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online

Sincerely,

Dr Brandon Nelson

austin bunionectomy

Bunion surgery
is the most common type of surgery I perform.  I really enjoy correcting bunions and the outcome can be very satisfying for both the patient and physician.  There are many types of bunion procedures that can be executed.  Procedure selection is based on the size of the bunion, the patient and overall foot structure.  It is important to have an overall foot exam and an x-ray.

One of the most common procedures done today is the Lapiplasty.  This procedure has the ability to correct the bunion in the 3 different cardinal planes.  Motion of the foot occurs in 3-D and correction for the bunion sometimes requires looking at these.  It should be noted not all bunions require this. The most important factor in good outcomes is careful attention to the correction itself and the foot structure.

Lapiplasty for me has provided excellent outcomes and continues to be very popular among my patients.  I like the reproducibility of it and it has the ability to correct large bunions.  The long term outcomes are great as well and patients have a high satisfaction with the overall procedure. 

Consultations: I currently am accepting patients for evaluation and management of their bunions.  I will provide patients with x-rays and a diagnostic workup as well as both conservative and surgical options.  If you have a bunion and would like to be evaluated please call my office at 425-391-8666.

Sincerely,
Double Board Certified 

hammertoe

Hammer toes
are a condition that develops with a certain foot structure. We see the average hammer toe patient has some underlying foot instability and usually another pathology. The most common pathologies that goes along with hammer toes are bunions or a flatfoot. Sometimes the bunion can cause crowding of the toes, or the flatfoot can cause an increase pull on the tendons to stabilize the foot.

Hammer toes tend to develop with time and milage and get worse with both. The are usually seen as a curling of the toes or a protrusion of the toe bones on the top of the foot. Patients usually begin to feel pressure in their shoes or a rubbing of the digits. This can lead to increased pain and even sores that can become infected.

I always recommend an x-ray as a starting point then an overall foot exam. There are both conservative and surgical options for hammer toes and it depends on location and number of toes involved.

If you have hammer toes or pain in your toes I am happy to help!

Sincerely,

Dr Brandon Nelson

austin bunionectomy

Bunion surgery
is by far the most common procedure I do on a weekly basis. It is a very satisfying procedure for patients and can lead to great outcomes. I have now been operating for the last 15 years and have completed 1000’s of bunion surgeries and the Lapiplasty has shown great promise.

With bunion surgeries I like to see the technique to be reliable and reproducible. Additionally, I like a procedure that is versatile and can correct bunions of all sizes. The Lapiplasty seems to meet all these criteria and is seeing a large increase in execution.

I have personally been utilizing this procedure since I was a resident. It has been the work horse of my toolbox and continues to be. The Lapidus procedure provides predictable outcomes and has a very low reoccurrence rate. It is especially useful for pediatric patients and large bunions.

The Lapiplasty is a patented system that makes the Lapidus bunion procedure easier for the surgeon to execute. It is a specific set of instruments that helps the surgeon. I think this system will continue to evolve and help us surgeons to have great outcomes. If you have a bunion and would like a consultation please contact my office today and I will be happy to review all your options as is pertains to bunions and bunion surgery.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brandon Nelson

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Dr. Timothy Young
, a Board Certified Foot Surgeon Discusses Sesamoid Problems – Part 2

Problems with the sesamoid bones in the foot can be an overuse injury.  As mentioned previously, some sports have higher association of sesamoid problems,  such as dance.  The injury and damage to the bones can range from inflammation of the soft tissue around the sesamoid bone and capsule.  We call this sesamoiditis.  Further damage could lead to fracture of the bones and this is often readily seen on an x-ray.  The problem is that some individuals have sesamoids that, are as 2 separate bones or portions from birth (congenitally)  

Therefore, it can be difficult to determine if it is a fracture or if it is a structural congenital condition.  This is called a bipartite sesamoid when it is a congenital structural condition with 2 separate bones.  Additional problems may include damage to the blood supply of the bone or avascular necrosis.  This can be difficult to diagnose and often requires an MRI.  A typical office based examination would include x-ray evaluation of the sesamoid bones.  As mentioned this can clearly diagnose many fractures or arthritic conditions of the sesamoid bones.  More subtle changes can be seen with ultrasound imaging.  And as mentioned, an MRI is very useful for sesamoiditis especially if there is concern over potential avascular necrosis.

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 


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Dr. Timothy Young
 - a Board Certified Foot Surgeon Discusses Sesamoid Problems –  Part 1

Sesamoid problems are fairly common in the feet.  There are 2 sesamoid bones at the base of the great toe joint.  These are small bones about the size of a pea.  A larger sesamoid bone is the patellar kneecap.  By definition, a sesamoid bone has a muscle and then the sesamoid bone which crosses the joint, and then there is a tendon from the sesamoid bone crossing over the joint to attach to  the other side of the joint.  In the knee, there is the quadricep muscle which attaches to the patella or kneecap, and then the knee Is attached to the tibia by the patellar tendon.  

This muscle sesamoid bone and tendon complex crosses the joint and gives leverage and protection to the mechanical function of the joint.  In the foot, the sesamoid bone can be very vulnerable.  As soon as the heel comes up off the ground during gait and other full weightbearing activities, the load and weight is transferred to the forefoot and up to have to wait or more will be transmitted through the sesamoid bones into the head of the first metatarsal.  Therefore, any running activity our other sports such as dance puts a heavy load on the sesamoid bones.  These are common activities with the sesamoid bones can be injured or damaged.

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online

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Dr. Timothy Young
 a board certified foot surgeon, discusses treating midfoot arthritis.
Midfoot arthritis is a common problem, especially as we all get older. Very commonly it the second metatarsal–cuneiform joint Is involved. Often additional adjacent joints can be involved. There are a number of treatments for this condition that can range from prescription orthotics, rocker style shoes, calf stretching and nutritional supplements. Additional treatment options include injections of synthetic joint lubricant into these joints.

This can be a difficult access or find the correct entry point, therefore we use ultrasound guidance to verify correct placement of the synthetic join lubricant. There is some communication between these adjacent midfoot articulations or joints and therefore there is additional benefit by injecting the second metatarsal–cuneiform joint to some of the adjacent communicating joints.  We typically use Supartz which is a highly purified form of hyaluronic acid.  I typically use the same protocol for other joints such as the ankle joint which is a series of injections at 1 to 2 week intervals usually 3 to 5 injections. 

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 
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Dr. Timothy Young
 a board certified foot surgeon discusses how to enhance results of hallux limitus surgery with a cheilectomy.
For early to moderate stage hallux limitus with degenerative joint disease and adaptive changes of the great toe joint, a common procedure is a cheilectomy. During this procedure, the bone spurs or osteophytes are removed and additional bone is removed from the dorsal or top of the first metatarsal head.
In addition, during the surgery the joint fluid is flushed out of the joint space. This is joint fluid that is produced by of the synovial lining of the joint. After the surgery is done additional joint fluid will replenish this loss of joint fluid.  We can augment this process. We commonly add synthetic joint lubricant to the joint early during the postoperative period. We currently use Supartz Hauluronic acid to enhance our results after surgery. This facilitates early range of motion and, also has a protective effect on the cartilage. In addition, ultrasound guidance is used to verify the correct position and placement of the Supartz directly into the joint. Early physical therapy can be beneficial also. 

If you have arthritis of your great toe joint or questions about potential surgery or procedures for this please request a consultation at our clinic. Give us a call today at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 


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Dr. Timothy Young
, a Board Certified Foot Surgeon, Discusses Supartz Injections for Ankle Arthritis

Synthetic joints lubricants such as Supartz are an effective treatment that we have been using at our clinic for over 10 years. Many of the patients who have arthritis believe that surgery is the only other option for them and are not aware of options such as Supartz. We typically use ultrasound guidance to make certain that we are directly within the joint itself.  A local anesthetic is also utilized ahead of time to help make our patients more comfortable during the Supartz procedure.

Studies with this treatment recommend a series of five Supartz injections. Our typical protocol would be to do five injections at 1–2-week intervals. Many of our patients have relief after the first injection and the relief continues to improve with each additional injection. Many of our patients are virtually pain-free after this and this relief can last up to a year or longer.  Supartz his one of the commercially available highly refined sympathetic joint lubricants with the primary ingredient being hyaluronic acid.  This type of treatment is a fraction of the cost of surgery and without the surgical risks.  Unlike cortisone there is no typical "injection flare“ after the injection.  Our patients can go back to normal physical activity the next day.
If you have ankle pain or have injuries and have residual ankle arthritis and pain please contact our office for a consultation. Give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 
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Dr. Timothy 
Young, a board-certified foot surgeon discusses treatment options for arthritis of the ankle.
Arthritis of the ankle can be a challenging problem to treat. This is a condition that can happen years after an injury with posttraumatic arthritis, degenerative joint disease and arthritic spurs or osteophytes. Some of the internal damage to the joint can involve damage to the cartilage. The end result is pain in the joint, especially with motion and with activity.
Treatment for arthritis can range from supplements to help decrease some of the inflammation and pain anti-inflammatory pain medication, braces to help limit motion, antiInflammatories, topical and oral, changing activities, or surgery.

However, there is another treatment option that is extremely effective.  Synthetic joint lubricants can offer relief quickly they can last for a year or longer.
Prior to this type of treatment, it was common to do cortisone injections. However, cortisone can further damage the joint overtime and. Cortisone injections are a short-term fix that can have long-term residual damage to the joint: weakening the existing cartilage.  Repeated injections can also weaken the bone.  Surgery can offer relief but takes significant time to heal.  There are ankle implants and there is fusion of the ankle.

If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today. 
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