Example of minimally invasive surgical techniques for a foot fracture.

The patient has a fracture of the 5th metatarsal. The fracture is a "true Jones" fracture. Treatment by internal fixation will allow the patient to avoid having to be in a cast for 12 weeks.
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The patient has had anaesthesia and is resting comfortably. The right foot and ankle are prepped for surgery. The proper location for the incision is found by drawing lines that represent the axis of the bones in several planes.
A tiny incision, less that 1/4 inch long, is made at the proper location. In minimally invasive surgery, experience is needed to place these tiny incisions correctly.
A guide pin is placed into the center of the bone. The position of the pin is confirmed in the frontal plane. The fracture is visible in the middle of the bone.
The position of the pin is confirmed in the lateral plane. Since the fracture is not exposed through a large incision, xray-based guidance techniques are critical to the success of the procedure.
A small gold drill is used to open up a narrow channel into the bone. The drill is carefully advanced by hand to avoid soft tissue injury.
The pin guides the drill down the center of the bone. The correct size screw is chosen. Multiple screw diameters and lengths must be available to achieve a perfect fit.
The screw is about to be placed over the guide pin.These screws are made a strong and flexible titanium alloy.
The screw is fully seated. The final turns of the screwdriver create a strong compression force that holds the bone fragments together and speeds the healing process.
This is the final xray appearance of the bone after the repair. The fracture is perfectly aligned in the frontal plane and the space between the fragments is compressed.
The final xray in the lateral plane. The screw is centered in the bone and the fracture is in perfect position.
The final appearance of the foot after the the incision is closed. The total length of the incision is 3 millimeters. The surgery took approximately 15 minutes. No cast is necessary, and the patient can begin walking immediately.
If you would like to find out if minimally invasive techniques can be used to treat your foot and ankle condition, please contact us here.