The Benefits Of Minimally Invasive Surgery For Plantar Fibroma

What Are The Symptoms Of Plantar Fibromas?
The most common symptom of a plantar fibroma is pain in the arch of the foot. Wearing shoes can put pressure on the bottom of the foot and make the pain more noticeable. Large fibromas can cause a sensation of pressure in your arch. They may feel like a pebble of a marble under your foot and you may be able to see them under the surface of your skin.

What Causes Plantar Fibromas?
There is no known cause for plantar fibromas but certain factors can increase your risk for developing them including:

• Age: People between the ages of 40 and 60 are more likely to develop a plantar fibroma.
• Gender: Men are twice as likely as women to develop a plantar fibroma and consequently plantar fibromatosis.
• Ethnicity: People of European descent are at higher risk of developing plantar fibromas.
• Genetics: If someone in your immediate family has plantar fibromas, you may be more prone to develop them too.
• Underlying Health Concerns: Some health conditions like diabetes, epilepsy, and alcohol use disorder can increase your risk for developing plantar fibromas.

Treatment Options For Plantar Fibromas
Many treatments for plantar fibromas are focused on relieving the symptoms. These include OTC (over-the-counter) pain medications, orthotics, topical ointments, and cortisone injections. But plantar fibromas are unlikely to get smaller or to resolve without treatment. Traditionally this has required excision surgery involving a large incision on the bottom of the foot. This course of treatment results in a long recovery, the inability to bear weight on the foot for a minimum of three weeks, stitches, and the use of assistive aids like crutches. There is also a possibility of surgical complications like infection, scarring, and loss of sensation.

Advanced technologies in the treatment of fibromas have resulted in a non-surgical removal option; minimally invasive surgery for plantar fibroma.

How Does It Work?
Your podiatrist will use a high-powered, ultrasonic energy wand with a hollow tip to completely emulsify and remove the fibrous tissues.

What Are The Benefits Of Minimally Invasive Surgery?
There are many benefits to choosing MIS over traditional surgical excision or conventional symptom-management treatments. These include:

• Safer: MIS ultrasonic treatment for plantar fibromas is quick and does not require the incision used in traditional excision surgery, reducing the risk for infection and scarring. MIS is completed as an outpatient procedure and does not require general sedation, eliminating the risks associated with anesthesia. MIS can be done using local freezing or mild sedation.
• Targeted Intervention: Minimally invasive surgery allows your podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon to pinpoint a specific treatment area and avoid damage to healthy surrounding tissue and will not weaken the ligaments of the foot.
• Quick Treatment: Ultrasonic treatment is fast, sometimes taking as little as 90 seconds per insertion.
• Shorter Recovery Times: After treatment, you will require a compression dressing and may need to wear an orthotic boot for 1-2 weeks, but you will be able to walk shortly after the procedure.
• Treats More Than The Symptoms: Unlike conventional non-surgical treatments, MIS will address the cause of symptoms and eliminate the fibroma rather than just managing the pain.