<minimally invasive bunion surgery>

Current forefoot surgery and in particular Bunion correction is performed through an open incision. This takes time to heal and can have increased complications e.g infection, prolonged pain and swelling. Mr Palmer performs minimally invasive bunion correction operations in suitable patients through two or three small "percutaneous" or "key-hole" incisions as a day case procedure using a special mini-xray machine. This allows rapid healing and reduced pain and minimal complications. If required this surgery can be performed under a local anaesthetic.

Unlike another form of minimally invasive bunion surgery offered in the UK by visiting surgeons from Europe and popularised in the Daily Mail newspaper as a "five minute procedure", there is no need for a wire to remain in the foot after surgery that requires removal later as stable fixation is acheived with specially designed fine internal screws that remain inside the bone.

Mr Palmer was one of the only English Surgeons to attend the first meeting of GRECMIP, a society of French Surgeons who have developed these techniques in Bordeaux in 2007. Since then he has continued to developed his skills with French foot surgeon. Mr Palmer is currently undertaking many research studies in these techniques.

Currently Mr Palmer is able to offer bunion correction, cheilectomy for arthritis, bunionette correction (5th toe), lesser toe surgery (hammer toe, claw toe, metatarsalgia) in suitable patients with these keyhole techniques. These techniques are available at Goring Hall Hospital, Clinic Nine and on the NHS.

A minimally invasive Cheilectomy for arthritis of the great toe.

Foot after Cheilectomy demonstrating incision.

Download the current NICE recommendations and advice on this new technique here

Down load leaflet PDF file on MINIMALLY INVASIVE FOOT SURGERY here

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