What Makes Lapiplasty® Different From Regular Bunion Surgery?

Key Takeaways

• Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction is a type of bunion surgery that corrects the bunion in all three directions, not just one or two.
• Many traditional bunion surgeries cut and shift the bone near the big toe, while Lapiplasty® fixes an unstable joint closer to the middle of the foot.
• Because it targets the root cause of the bunion, Lapiplasty® is designed to lower the chance of the bunion coming back.
• In a large study, Lapiplasty® patients began putting protected weight on the foot after about one week, on average.
• Lake Erie Podiatry offers Lapiplasty® in Erie, PA, and you can request an appointment online to see if this approach is right for your feet.

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What Is Lapiplasty®?

Lapiplasty® is a newer way to perform a well-known bunion surgery called the Lapidus procedure.

To understand it, it helps to know a few foot terms:

• Metatarsal: One of the five long bones in the middle of your foot. The first metatarsal connects to your big toe.
• Tarsometatarsal (TMT) joint: The joint where the first metatarsal meets a small midfoot bone called the medial cuneiform.
• Hallux valgus: The medical name for a bunion.

According to the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society's guide to the Lapidus procedure, this surgery fuses (joins) the TMT joint so the two bones grow together into one. When that joint is too loose, the first metatarsal can drift or rotate out of place, and the big toe leans toward the other toes. That is how a bunion forms.

Lapiplasty® uses special instruments and plates to perform this type of fusion while correcting the bone in three dimensions. Lake Erie Podiatry describes Lapiplasty® as a treatment that addresses the root cause of bunions instead of just the bump.

How Traditional Bunion Surgery Differs From Lapiplasty's 3D Approach?

Traditional Bunion Surgery

'Bunion surgery' is not one single operation. Cleveland Clinic's overview of bunion surgery types lists four main options:

• Osteotomy: The surgeon makes small cuts in the toe and foot bones and uses screws or pins to realign the big toe joint. This is one of the most common types.
• Arthrodesis (joint fusion): Bones are fused, usually for severe bunions or bunions caused by arthritis.
• Lapidus: The TMT joint is fused to realign the foot.
• Exostectomy: The surgeon shaves off the bump. This is rare and works only for very mild bunions.

Many traditional approaches focus on straightening the toe from side to side. Lake Erie Podiatry notes that traditional bunion surgery corrects bunions in two dimensions.

Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction

A bunion is not just a bone leaning sideways. The first metatarsal can also tilt up and rotate. Lapiplasty® is built to correct all three:

1. Side to side, so the big toe no longer drifts toward the second toe.
2. Up and down, so the bone sits at the right height.
3. Rotation, so the bone is no longer twisted.

Lapiplasty® vs. Traditional Bunion Surgery at a Glance

Why Correcting the Root Cause Matters for Long-Term Results?

Cleveland Clinic lists the bunion coming back, called recurrence, as one of the possible complications of bunion surgery. If the unstable joint behind the bunion is never fixed, the bone may slowly drift again.

The Lapidus approach aims to stop that drift. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society explains that once the TMT joint is fused, the first metatarsal will not move abnormally, which helps the big toe stay straight and lowers the risk of the bunion returning.

How Recurrence Risk Compares Between the Two Approaches?

The best long-term data on Lapiplasty® comes from a study called ALIGN3D. Results are summarized on the Treace Medical Concepts Lapiplasty® journal publications page. At four years after surgery:

• Recurrence was 0.8% when it was defined as the big toe angle measuring more than 20 degrees.
• Recurrence was 8.4% under a stricter definition of more than 15 degrees.
• Patients also reported less pain and a better quality of life compared to before surgery.

Treace makes the Lapiplasty® system, and every patient heals differently. Dr. Ruiz can help you understand what these numbers may mean for your foot.

What Patients Notice Differently During Recovery?

The biggest difference many patients notice is how soon they can stand on the foot.

After a traditional Lapidus fusion, the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society says patients often limit weight on the foot and move to full weight-bearing around six weeks after surgery.

With Lapiplasty®, the ALIGN3D study found:

• Patients began protected weight-bearing in a walking boot at about 7.7 days, on average.
• Patients returned to work in about 27 days, on average.
• Patients returned to full, unrestricted activity within about four months, on average.

Even with faster weight-bearing, healing still takes time. Swelling can last for months after any bunion surgery.

Who Tends to Be a Good Candidate for Lapiplasty®?

Only an exam and X-rays can confirm if Lapiplasty® is right for you. You may be a good candidate if you have:

• A painful bunion that rubs against the inside of your shoes.
• Trouble finding shoes that fit because your foot has become wider.
• Pain or extra motion at the joint in the middle of your foot.
• Pain that has not improved with wider shoes, splints, toe spacers, or other nonsurgical care.

Some health factors can affect healing. The American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society notes that people with diabetes or who smoke have a higher risk of the bones not healing together. Dr. Michael Ruiz, DPM, podiatric physician and surgeon at Lake Erie Podiatry, reviews your overall health before recommending any surgery.

Find Out if 3D Bunion Correction Is Right for Your Feet in Erie

Lapiplasty® takes a different approach than many traditional bunion surgeries by fixing the unstable joint behind the bunion and correcting it in all three directions. Lake Erie Podiatry can help you compare your options and choose the path that fits your foot and your goals.

Request an appointment with Lake Erie Podiatry at its Erie office on Caughey Road to learn more about Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction in Erie, PA. Request your appointment with Lake Erie Podiatry online.

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