What You Need to Know About Ambulatory Surgery

Last updated 8 months ago

If you're seeking treatment for an ongoing foot condition, your podiatrist may recommend ambulatory surgery. In the past, procedures like corn removal and bunion surgery required costly, complex treatment. However, thanks to advances in Minimal Incision Surgery (MIS), today's ambulatory patient can expect to comfortably walk in and walk out of foot surgery on the same day with ease.

Treated Cases

Ambulatory surgery is used to treat problematic foot issues like bunions, recurring corns, and ingrown toenails. Generally, these same-day procedures take place in your podiatrist's office or at an outpatient center, eliminating the expense and hassle of a lengthy, overnight hospital stay. Bunion surgery and corn removal once required large incisions, numerous stitches, and weeks of slow recovery. Today, patients can expect minimal pain, fewer stitches, and no casts or crutches to slow them down after surgery. Because these convenient in-office foot surgeries carry much less risk of complications, ambulatory surgery is readily accepted by most insurance companies.

The Procedure

For patients undergoing ambulatory foot surgery, minimal incision surgery makes the procedure simple and relatively pain-free. First, a local anesthetic is applied to numb the surgical area. After making a tiny incision at the target area, the surgeon uses a specially designed tool to enter the incision area and correct the deformity. After the procedure, the surgeon uses few stitches to close the incision area and apply bandages to the foot. Foot surgery patients are released and free to leave on the same day.

Post-Surgery

Patients should limit activity for the first two or three days following foot surgery. Depending on the procedure, your doctor may provide a surgical shoe to protect your foot from post-surgery injury. In order to keep the incision area dry, patients are generally advised to take baths rather than showers.

Recurring corns, bunions, and ingrown toenails are painful conditions that shouldn't be ignored. At All South Bay Footcare, we're proud to provide specialized, top-of-the-line foot surgery to a broad range of patients in the Los Angeles area. Call (310) 986-2925 to schedule your free consultation today.