52-year old Columbus, Ohio resident Vivian is constantly on her feet. In addition to her full-time job cleaning houses, she also works part-time as a receptionist in a law firm. While this schedule can be grueling, Vivian’s bunions often made it agonizing as well.

When Vivian was in her late twenties, bunions formed on both of her feet and within a few years, the bunion on her left foot became incredibly painful. She described the pain as “like needles stabbing my foot” and, over time, the bunion progressed to the point that it was visible through her shoe. By the time she reached her mid-forties and barely being able to walk, she reached out to a local podiatrist.

The podiatrist recommended a traditional 2D osteotomy correction procedure, but did not adequately explain the lengthy recovery process involved. Desperate for pain relief, Vivian underwent the procedure, whereby the bump associated with her bunion was shaved off. Although she was pain-free following surgery, her toe was not straight and she was under strict orders not to put weight on her foot for two months. To cap it off, the bunion returned less than a year later.

Unfortunately, studies have shown that as many as 30-70% of patients receiving an osteotomy are likely to have their bunion recur.^1-3 And, one in three osteotomy patients end up dissatisfied with their long-term surgical result.³

Although the bunion on her right foot was manageable for more than two decades, it worsened in severity and the acute pain that Vivian suffered from years before returned. Unwilling to suffer as she did with her left foot, she contacted her primary care physician who referred her to Dr. David Kaplansky in Columbus. After evaluating her condition, Dr. Kaplansky suggested Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction^™.

Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction^™ addresses the true root cause of bunions by stabilizing the unstable joint at the base of the big toe and rotating the misaligned bone into normal alignment.^4-5

Vivian underwent Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction^™ in July 2018 and immediately noticed a few differences compared with her previous surgery. Not only was the toe was completely straight, Dr. Kaplansky gave her permission to put weight on her foot (while wearing a boot) less than two weeks after the procedure, allowing Vivian to quickly return to work. She began walking without the boot just six weeks after her procedure, and today is pain-free.

“I couldn’t be happier with the Lapiplasty® Procedure and wish it was available all those years ago for my left foot,” said Vivian. “I spend much of my day on my feet and now I understand how much of an improvement the Lapiplasty® Procedure is over the old surgical method. I plan to have the bunion on my left foot corrected again; this time with Lapiplasty® 3D Bunion Correction^™.”

Important Risk Information: Only a surgeon can tell if the Lapiplasty® Procedure is right for you. As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary. This experience is unique and specific to the patient. There are potential risks and recovery takes time. For information about our recovery times, see our Recovery pages. Potential risks include infection, pain, implant loosening, and loss of correction due to improper bone healing. For a complete list of risks, see the Patient Risk Information. For information about how we handle your information please see our Privacy Policy.