Minimally Invasive Surgery
Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) has long been utilized in other areas of orthopaedics and general surgery. The history of orthopaedic surgery is, in many ways, driven by minimally invasive techniques. Patients with knee or shoulder pain used to have large open incisions with increased scarring and prolonged post-operative recovery. As techniques evolved, the incisions became smaller and with the advent of arthroscopic techniques, the field of sports medicine made an enormous leap. Now many conditions of the shoulder and knee are performed entirely through minimally invasive treatments.
Foot and ankle surgeons are now progressing along the same path and Dr. Miller brought these techniques to Boston for the first time while at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and New England Baptist Hospital. He is now continuing to advocate for these surgeries within the Mass General Brigham System and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
By employing the latest technique and advanced technology along with special instruments and a thorough understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the foot and ankle, Dr. Miller is able to perform complex surgeries through minimal incisions.
The fundamental principles of MIS is to provide equivalent or better results to the older “open” techniques while minimizing damage to muscle, tendons and surrounding structures. The most immediate benefit to the patient is decreased pain and scarring and faster recovery from surgery. This not only returns patients to their lives quicker, but also decreases the risk of developing opioid dependence, and is a major step towards the “holy grail” of opioid free foot and ankle surgery.,
Dr. Miller has travelled extensively to learn these techniques and has helped developed new MIS procedures for Achilles tendon rupture repair. He has also lectured and taught other surgeons these techniques to help educate and improve their own practices.
MIS surgery has numerous benefits including:
- Minimal scarring
- Less swelling
- Decreased wound infections
- Less blood loss
- Less post-operative pain
- Rapid recovery and faster return to normal activities.
Dr. Miller utilizes MIS techniques on a daily basis and is always searching for ways to improve care and treatment of conditions. Some of the procedures which can be effectively treated through minimal incisions include, but are not limited to:
- Bunions
- Hammer toes
- Metatarsalgia
- Great toe arthritis
- Flat feet
- Ankle fracture
- Ankle arthritis
- Ankle instability
- Ankle osteochondritis dessicans
- Peroneal tendinitis
- Posterior tibial tendinitis
- Achilles tendinitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Midfoot arthritis
- Calcaneal (heel) fracture
- Achilles tendon rupture
Techniques:
MIS foot surgery is performed through “poke hole” incisions. Using special instruments and cameras along with intra-operative xrays, Dr. Miller can access the damaged areas and protect the surrounding muscles and ligaments. Surgical instruments are then used percutaneously to correct the problem in the joint, tendon or ligament. Once the surgery is finished, the surrounding tissue will return to its normal position and the incisions, often as small as 3 millimeters are closed.
Schedule an appointment now to discuss your treatment options.
