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Podiatric Surgery FAQ
Click on a question for more information on the topic.
Podiatric surgeons are not medical practitioners but podiatrists who, after obtaining their initial podiatry qualification and a period of time in practice, have undergone post-graduate studies and a surgical training program modelled along similar lines to those in oral (dental) surgery.
This type of training means they appreciate the foot’s complexity and can use both surgical and non-surgical methods to provide a solution for many common foot problems.
Podiatrists will also only recommend surgery after having considered all avenues of conservative treatment.
Podiatric Surgery is a recognised specialty under the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Authority. Podiatrists who are recognized to perform surgery are registered specialists with the Podiatry Board of Australia. and area eligible for fellowship of the Australasian College of Podiatric Surgeons.
Modern surgical and anaesthetic techniques mean that pain is much less of a concern. Everybody’s pain threshold is different however it is uncommon for severe pain to be experienced which is why we can perform most procedures as day surgery.
All procedures performed in the rooms are with local anaethesia.
Hospital based surgery is performed under local anaesthetic block in combination with either intravenous sedation (“Twilight Anaesthesia”) or a light general anaesthesia which is administered by a specialist anaesthetist.
Foot surgery is well suited to utilising long acting local anaesthetic blocks for maximal pain relief with fewer side effects.
There is little reason to be concerned about scars. We use buried absorbable sutures that do not need to be removed and on occasions non-absorbable sutures that would be removed after 1 to 2 weeks.
Research performed overseas and in Australia has shown that outcomes from surgery to the foot and ankle as performed by podiatric surgeons are generally very good but as with any surgery, there can be no guarantees.
With any surgery there is always the potential for complications, which will be dependant on your general health and the type of procedure to be performed which we will discuss with you.
We will do everything to minimise complications and will not perform any procedure if there is a significant risk for complications or adverse outcomes.
