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The human foot can present many problems due to genetically determined structural abnormalities and deformities, serious injuries or degenerative diseases resulting in pain, dysfunction, difficulty walking and difficulty maintaining quality of life.

If the foot problems are severe enough that conservative treatment cannot help, reconstructive surgery can permanently correct the problems.

Reconstructive foot and ankle surgery

Modern developments in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, when performed by physicians with a high degree of specialization in this field, can offer significant improvements in the appearance and function of the foot after a properly planned and performed surgery.

Reconstructive surgery addresses problems with the bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons of the foot.

The range of conditions treated surgically includes:

• severe fractures of the foot and ankle

• injuries and ligament insufficiency

• severe post-traumatic or idiopathic arthritis

• pain and deformities from autoimmune diseases e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, paralytic deformities from polyneuropathy or other neurological diseases, flatfoot deformities, pathological conditions from inflammation, tumors, complications from diabetes mellitus e.g. Charcot neuroarthropathy, etc.

Me In modern rehabilitation procedures, the surgeon can:

1. Perform osteotomies, i.e. “cutting” and shifting the bones of the foot in order to restore anatomy and correct deformities. For example, the vast majority of deformities of the forefoot and especially the big toe, e.g. hallux valgus (bunion), deformities of the little toes, metatarsalgia, i.e. the presence of pain under the forefoot, are treated with corrective osteotomies.
2. Lengthens, repairs or transfers tendons from one point of the foot to another to correct paralytic conditions such as clubfoot (drop foot) and degenerative conditions and tendon ruptures
3. It binds severely damaged and deformed joints in order to the offer of a painless, and with correct static foot to the patient
4. Repairs or replaces damaged ligaments e.g. unstable joints after multiple sprains
5. Diagnoses and repairs intra-articular lesions, using small optical fibers e.g. osteochondral lesions of the ankle
6. Repairs demanding fractures of the ankle, heel, and midfoot (Lisfranc) 

Very often the above techniques can be used in combination in more complex procedures.

It is a fact that the pathology of the foot and ankle is extremely extensive and complex in relation to other anatomical areas of the body (knee, hip, shoulder), and therefore there is a very large number of surgical procedures performed in the area. Therefore, the need for a high degree of specialization and familiarity with these techniques is reasonable. It is also obvious that this type of demanding surgery cannot and should not be performed by an orthopedic surgeon who does not have the appropriate training.  

In Europe, reconstructive foot surgery has been making progressive strides in the last 20 years, with a focus on France, Great Britain and Germany. In the USA the impetus and development of this surgery is at a much higher level and Foot and Ankle Surgeons are at the highest level of demand along with Spine surgeons. 

The properly trained surgeon individualizes each reconstructive foot and ankle surgery and surgical and recovery times can vary significantly depending on the procedures and techniques. Many reconstructive procedures can be minimally invasive, and have shorter recovery periods. 

Conclusion

When your foot problems do not improve and you experience permanent dysfunction, reconstructive surgery is often the solution you need. Contact – after a thorough search – a Foot and Ankle surgeon to evaluate the problem and recommend the necessary treatment plan.