Lasers have captivated the imaginations of movie-goers for years, making ominous appearances as doomsday devices, or as future personal combat weapons. While special effect explosions are impressive, they pale in comparison to the real-life benefits this technology now offers to patients. Podiatry laser surgery has proven effective in treating several types of foot problems, from injuries to chronic infections.
The light produced creating these kinds of beams is monochromatic, unlike sunlight. When focused, it does not become diffuse, and contains an enormous amount of potential energy. It is used today to cut materials more precisely, to send digital data over fiber optic cable, or even to play a DVD. It has been widely employed in the medical field for over thirty years, and has proven especially beneficial in eye surgery.
When integrated into traditional surgical foot procedures, they are helping make many operations both faster and safer. Some patients experience less post-operative swelling and a shorter recovery time when compared to invasive scalpel work. Doctors who specialize in sports medicine or who often repair broken bones in the feet find that lasers are ideal both for repairing and cleaning areas of easily-damaged soft tissue.
Because of its unerring accuracy, a beam of light is able to precisely disintegrate a pinpoint area of tissue without harming adjacent structures. This is valuable when treating common issues such as the growth of plantar warts on the heel or sole, painfully deep callouses caused by footwear, or even infected, ingrown large toenails. A scalpel using light energy reduces tissue trauma and the possibility of infection.
Bleeding during surgery is greatly reduced because a laser simultaneously cuts and cauterizes. Many common procedures can now be completed on an out-patient basis using only local anesthesia, and requiring less follow-up. While it is true that any invasive operation has the potential to become infected or develop other complications, using this type of surgical tool greatly reduces the chances.
Fungal infections of the toenails have become common, and cause social distress as well as unpleasant symptoms. Older treatments required removal and abrasion of the toenail bed, and even then the fungi usually returned. Internal drugs today can be effective, but may cause liver issues in some patients. For those who chronically deal with this ugly infection, laser treatment offers superior results without complications.
The light not only kills the fungi, but also sterilizes the infected area. Individual treatments are painless, and the most commonly reported sensation is a slight warmth, with no local anesthesia required. In most cases, the total procedure lasts less than an hour. While no treatment can accurately claim 100% success, most of these infections begin to improve after only one session, compared to many weeks using internal medications.
While most effective for minimally invasive procedures, light technology is also being employed during surgery for painful conditions such as hammertoes, and many sports-related tendon and ligament injuries. Some types of arthritis also benefit, as well as certain neuropathies. The results can leave patients with better mobility and less residual scar tissue. Healing rates are generally faster, reducing recovery time and discomfort.
The light produced creating these kinds of beams is monochromatic, unlike sunlight. When focused, it does not become diffuse, and contains an enormous amount of potential energy. It is used today to cut materials more precisely, to send digital data over fiber optic cable, or even to play a DVD. It has been widely employed in the medical field for over thirty years, and has proven especially beneficial in eye surgery.
When integrated into traditional surgical foot procedures, they are helping make many operations both faster and safer. Some patients experience less post-operative swelling and a shorter recovery time when compared to invasive scalpel work. Doctors who specialize in sports medicine or who often repair broken bones in the feet find that lasers are ideal both for repairing and cleaning areas of easily-damaged soft tissue.
Because of its unerring accuracy, a beam of light is able to precisely disintegrate a pinpoint area of tissue without harming adjacent structures. This is valuable when treating common issues such as the growth of plantar warts on the heel or sole, painfully deep callouses caused by footwear, or even infected, ingrown large toenails. A scalpel using light energy reduces tissue trauma and the possibility of infection.
Bleeding during surgery is greatly reduced because a laser simultaneously cuts and cauterizes. Many common procedures can now be completed on an out-patient basis using only local anesthesia, and requiring less follow-up. While it is true that any invasive operation has the potential to become infected or develop other complications, using this type of surgical tool greatly reduces the chances.
Fungal infections of the toenails have become common, and cause social distress as well as unpleasant symptoms. Older treatments required removal and abrasion of the toenail bed, and even then the fungi usually returned. Internal drugs today can be effective, but may cause liver issues in some patients. For those who chronically deal with this ugly infection, laser treatment offers superior results without complications.
The light not only kills the fungi, but also sterilizes the infected area. Individual treatments are painless, and the most commonly reported sensation is a slight warmth, with no local anesthesia required. In most cases, the total procedure lasts less than an hour. While no treatment can accurately claim 100% success, most of these infections begin to improve after only one session, compared to many weeks using internal medications.
While most effective for minimally invasive procedures, light technology is also being employed during surgery for painful conditions such as hammertoes, and many sports-related tendon and ligament injuries. Some types of arthritis also benefit, as well as certain neuropathies. The results can leave patients with better mobility and less residual scar tissue. Healing rates are generally faster, reducing recovery time and discomfort.
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