WHAT IS ENDOSCOPIC PLANTAR FASCIOTOMY?
Endoscopic Plantar Fasciotomy is a recent advancement in foot surgery for the correction of heel spur syndrome and plantar fasciitis. The new procedure allows for a shorter recovery period and a faster return to normal activity. Weight bearing is usually encouraged immediately after the procedure. The surgery is performed on a outpatient basis. The procedure utilizes specially designed instruments that allow the surgeon to directly visualize the foot structures on a video screen while making two small incisions on the foot. HOW IS THIS PROCEDURE DIFFERENT? The previous surgical treatment for heel spur surgery involved making a large open incision. The tight ligament was then severed and the bone spur which has attached to the fascia was also removed. The bone spur is the result of chronic inflammation, where the fascia that is attached to the heel bone has been pulling over an extended period of time. The spur is a symptom of the inflammation and not the actual cause of the heel pain.
