By MOLLY STALEY
Capital Ortho now offers minimally invasive bunion correction procedure
Helping patients get back on their feet faster with less pain and less scarring than traditional bunion treatment
Bunions are one of the most common foot problems, affecting 23 percent of adults and up to 30 percent of women. Caused by a misalignment of the bone at the big toe, bunions can be extremely painful and drastically change a foot’s shape, hindering daily activities such as walking, exercising and selection of footwear.
Dr. Bradley Kellum*, a foot and ankle fellowship-trained specialist at Capital Ortho in Flowood, is the only orthopedic surgeon in the central Mississippi area offering PROstep Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), a solution for hallux valgus — commonly known as bunions — that can get patients back on their feet faster, with less pain and less scarring.
Bunions are a progressive condition, so it often takes time for patients to recognize their symptoms and seek medical attention. Over time, pressure on the big toe joint causes the big toe to lean toward the second, changing the structure of the bone and resulting in a deformity — or a bunion. As the deformity gradually increases, so do pain and difficulties in walking or even wearing shoes. Bunions are more prevalent among women since they are more prone to wearing tight, narrow shoes that put pressure on the toes.
Dr. Kellum said, “A large part of my job is to stay equipped with a knowledge and skill base to give patients options for foot and ankle conditions. The PROstep is a newer surgical technique to treat bunion deformity pain with proven efficacy and with a bonus of less recovery time, less pain and less scarring. Patients are seeing excellent results with this procedure. The best part of my job is seeing my patients return to doing activities they love as soon as possible and pain-free.”
While over-the-counter medications, changes in footwear and other non-surgical remedies can temporarily alleviate pain, these are not usually long-term solutions for bunions. Many patients are typically familiar with more invasive, open procedures that expose the bone and tissues. However, in a recent survey, 75 percent of bunion sufferers say minimally invasive surgery would accelerate their decision to have surgery in order to stop the deformity earlier in the process.
PROstep is a less invasive alternative performed with small, 3- to 5-millimeter incisions, compared to 3- to 5-inch incisions used in traditional bunion surgery. Using PROstep, Dr. Kellum makes several small incisions, the bone is cut precisely, and the soft tissue released, allowing him to realign the big toe joint. This technique results in less pain and earlier return to function compared to traditional bunion surgical procedures.
“Every once in a while, a great new surgical technique comes along, and when met with the best surgeon, the results are truly remarkable! We love our patients and the results we are getting with minimally invasive surgical bunion correction,” said Tonya Branning, FNP, who works directly with Dr. Kellum.
To learn if you might benefit from PROstep MIS Bunion Correction, contact Capital Ortho at 601-987-8200 or visit capitalortho.com/prostep.
* Dr. Bradley Kellum specializes in the treatment of foot and ankle trauma, sports injuries, foot deformity correction, orthopedic fracture treatment, and ankle arthroscopy. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, where he also completed his orthopedic surgery residency. In addition, he completed an AO fellowship in Switzerland and a fellowship in foot and ankle surgery at the University of Utah. Kellum has been with Capital Ortho since 2013 and is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons.
