Foot & Ankle Surgery

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery that allows our orthopedic surgeons to see, diagnose and treat problems within a joint. Although each arthroscopic ankle procedure varies, the operation generally involves creating a few small incisions to access the ankle joint. A camera and light is inserted into one of the incisions through a small tube for viewing, while instruments to perform the operation are inserted through other incisions to perform the procedure. Ankle arthroscopy is typically useful in treating ankle inflammation, cartilage or tendon damage and determining the cause of undiagnosed ankle pain.

Ankle and foot arthrodesis are more commonly referred to as joint fusion surgery. The procedure is often used to provide relief from the pain of severe arthritis or poorly healed fractures. By removing the cartilage in the ankle or foot and fusing the ends of two bones that meet at your joint, the procedure eliminates the troubled joint and eases discomfort. Ankle or foot fusion surgery can be performed either through a traditional open surgery or a minimally invasive arthroscopic approach.

Ankle replacement surgery addresses the pain caused by severe arthritis while also giving patients a fully functional ankle joint. OrthoColorado Hospital’s foot ankle doctors are the most experienced surgeons in the state at performing ankle replacement surgery. Patients travel to Colorado from Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming to seek ankle replacement surgery from our specialists. At OrthoColorado Hospital, we recognize that no two patients are alike. This is why we offer more than one ankle replacement system. We offer a less invasive total ankle replacement for younger patients. For this system, our surgeons approach surgery from the side in order to avoid affecting the tendons and nerves in the front. The procedure takes less bone than a surgery approached from the front. The system is recommended for patients who do not have a large deformity. The other total ankle is for patients with more severe deformities. The complexity of the condition requires an open surgery. Both systems allow for improved range of motion compared to a traditional ankle fusion.

OrthoColorado Hospital is pleased to offer patients with painful bunions a revolutionary new procedure. Lapiplasty 3D bunion correction addresses bunions in three dimensions to correct the root cause of the bunion. While traditional bunion surgery typically involves shaving off the “bump” or cutting and shifting the bone, neither approach stabilizes the joint at its foundation – leaving the possibility that the bunion deformity could return in the future. Using specially designed instrumentation, the Lapiplasty 3D procedure corrects the deformity in three dimensions, restoring the foot to its proper alignment while naturally removing the bump and straightening the toe. Once the deformity is corrected, innovative plating technology is used to permanently secure the unstable joint in place. Patients can expect to be weight bearing within a week and walking in a boot.

OrthoColorado Hospital offers patients with toe arthritis relief through a new technology called the Cartiva implant. The Food and Drug Administration approved implant is made from the same material that is used in soft contact lenses. Designed to mimic the natural cartilage found in the big toe joint, the material compresses slightly under pressure but allows flexibility. The Cartiva implant can reduce pain while motion in the joint is maintained or increased.

When a foot or ankle fracture is severe, your doctor might recommend surgery to help your bones mend, prevent arthritis and reduce the risk of further injury. Our skilled surgeons use pins, plates or screws to put fractured bones back together.