Many foot and ankle conditions can be successfully managed through conservative treatments such as rest, physical therapy, shoe changes, orthotics, and laser or injection therapies. However, when these methods fall short of relieving your pain and allowing you to fully participate in the activities you love, a minor, in-office surgical procedure might be the answer you are looking for. We only recommend surgery when it is the best and most efficient way to resolve your condition. Trust Dr. Zoe Ramos to take care of your problem with skill and precision, often right in the comfort of our office, as well as an outpatient at the hospital or surgery center conveniently located nearby.
Surgical Procedures We Perform in Our Livermore Podiatrist Office
When you hear the word surgery, you probably think of hospitals, general anesthesia, and long recoveries. While these kinds of surgeries are sometimes necessary to resolve a serious foot or ankle condition, that's not what we're talking about here. Our in-office surgical procedures require cutting into the skin, but they are minimally invasive, and you can usually walk out unassisted when it's all over.
Some procedures we perform in-office include:
- Wart removals. When topical treatments don't work, a plantar wart can be cut away or destroyed with a laser in a simple procedure. Because it can be painful, your skin may be numbed with a local anesthetic first.
- Ingrown toenail treatment. If other methods have failed and your ingrown toenail has become infected, surgery might be necessary. In most cases, we only need to remove a small section of the side of the nail. If you suffer from recurrent ingrown toenails, we might elect to do a partial nail avulsion to prevent the regrowth of the section of the nail that is causing the problem.
- Toenail removal. Fungal infections that don't respond to medicines, trauma to the nail, and particularly difficult ingrown toenails might require complete removal of the toenail plate. It can take six to 12 months for a toenail to grow back, so we only do this when we feel it is absolutely necessary.
- Tenotomies. This procedure can effectively treat flexible hammer toes or damaged tendons, such as the Achilles tendon in the heel or plantar fascia at the bottom of the foot. Dr. Ramos will use a laser or special needle to break up scar tissue and induce bleeding, which will jump-start the body's own healing process. In the case of hammer toes, a small cut of the offending tendon could be performed via minimal incision, usually not requiring sutures. Tenotomy might be accompanied by platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections to promote healing.
- Exostectomies. Small bone spurs on the heel or bony bumps on the forefoot can sometimes be removed under local anesthesia in the office. After making a small incision, the bone is removed along with any damaged tissue surrounding it. You may have to wear a special boot for a few weeks to allow the site to heal.
- Lesions and ulcers. While soft tissue masses don't usually require surgery, a stubborn lesion that is causing pain might respond well to an in-office procedure to remove the mass and suture or cauterize the wound. The lesion will then be sent for examination to a pathology lab.
Although these procedures are fairly routine, we do not recommend them lightly. If all possible conservative treatments have been exhausted and you have not gotten the relief you desire, we will discuss these surgical options with you. When performing these minor surgeries, Dr. Ramos has a gentle touch and precision to ensure minimal pain and a successful outcome.