Minimally Invasive Surgery

One of the most common foot problems is heel pain associated with plantar fasciitis. Dr. Onosode is an expert in a quick minimally invasive procedure called the Endoscopic Plantar Fasciotomy. The EPF technique is minimally invasive and releases a portion of the tight plantar fascia. More than 1 million of these procedures performed since its development in 1990. An endoscope is used - a small instrument that allows the surgeon to see “anatomy” inside the body – when used in joints, it is called an “arthroscope.” By using a very small incision of less than ½”, the new procedure releases the extreme tension on the plantar fascia, which is the cause of the pain in most cases. All of this is monitored by the surgeon on a television screen. The procedure itself typically takes less than 10 minutes using a local anesthetic. A sterile dressing is worn for about 3 days and then the patient is usually allowed to begin wearing shoes normally again. Minimal loss of work is incurred.