Lapiplasty®: A New Step Forward

In my career of almost 20 years as a foot and ankle specialist I have treated patients with a wide variety of conditions. From hammertoes to arthritis, each problem has its own symptoms, complications, and treatment options. One of the most common foot problems I see in my practice are bunions. Historically, addressing the pain caused by bunions involved often-ineffective non-surgical devices such as shoe inserts and toe separators in cases where patients wanted to avoid surgery. The traditional method of bunion correction surgery has its own set of potential concerns for patients as well as physicians. However, a relatively new surgical approach has allowed me to offer my patients a promising treatment option and give them hope for a life without painful bunions.

Bunions can cause excruciating pain and significantly impact anyone’s lifestyle no matter their activity level, whether they work in an office or are training to run a marathon[1]. They are caused by a complex bone deformity that results in an unstable joint in the foot. Over time, the bones in the big toe begin drifting out of alignment, forming the bunion’s telltale bump on the side of the big toe. Bunions are a progressive condition and as patients age, their pain can increase as well. Some of my more athletic patients eventually must cut back on their regular exercise routines and even those with more average lifestyles often find themselves struggling to go about their daily lives given bunions can impact mobility.

While some lifestyle modifications and non-surgical devices might help lessen discomfort short-term, the only way to correct a bunion deformity is through surgery[2]. Traditional 2D osteotomy surgery, also known as “shave it off” surgery, involves cutting off the protruding bone on the side of the toe and shifting the remaining bones over. The procedure is often burdensome—patients generally must be non-weightbearing for six to eight weeks[3]. Even more concerning is that traditional 2D osteotomy does not correct the root cause of the deformity.

In 2016, the FDA cleared Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™, allowing physicians like myself to offer a new surgical approach to treating bunions. The procedure involves realigning the bones in the foot using a system of patented titanium plates that correct the root cause of the bunion[4]. Most patients can become weightbearing while wearing a walking boot within two weeks after surgery, and many of them are cleared to return to their usual physical activities about four months later[5],[6]. Clinical research has shown only a 1-3% risk of bunion recurrence post-surgery in 13- and 17-month trials, respectively[7].

As with all physicians, my goal is to help my patients have an optimal quality of life and return to the lifestyles they enjoy as safely and quickly as possible. Whether their goal is to return to work or spin classes at the gym, I am pleased to have seen numerous patients get back to the activities that they once felt were impossible because of bunion pain. A growing number of physicians in the U.S. are now offering Lapiplasty® at their practices and I am excited to see the impact the procedure will have in the field in the years to come.

For more information about the Lapiplasty® Procedure™, visit Lapiplasty.com. To schedule an appointment with me, call either (424) 444-3699 for our Santa Monica clinic or (818) 330-5799 for our Sherman Oaks clinic. You can also visit footankleinstitute.com.

Only a surgeon can tell if Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction™ is right for you. As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary and this experience is unique and specific to this patient only. There are potential risks with surgery and recovery takes time. Potential risks include, but are not limited to: infection, pain, discomfort from the presence of the implant, loosening of the implant, and loss of correction with nonunion or malunion.

[1] American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) Website ©2018, WebMD Website ©2018.

[2] American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) Website ©2019.

[3] Catanzariti AR, et al. J Foot Ankle Surgery, 38:325-32.

[4] Dayton P, et al. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2016. 55:567-71.

[5] Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960.

[6] Based on surgeon experience in their practice.

[7] Ray J, et al. Foot Ankle Int. 2019 Aug;40(8):955-960.