TOPAZ Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Pain Treatment
TOPAZ Plantar Fasciitis
Your alarm clock goes off. Getting out of bed is the worst part of your morning. Not because you don't want to, but because you know the moment you step on the floor sharp, maddening pain will stab you in the heel.
Every morning, you hope your plantar fasciitis is gone. And every morning that hope shatters into little pieces when you stand up.
Sure, it gets better after you take a few steps. Yet the pain never goes away completely. You've already tried everything short of open surgery to no avail. And you can't afford to spend months in recovery. It seems you'd just have to live with the pain.
But what if we told you there's a better way? We can treat your plantar fasciitis using a minimally invasive procedure that will allow you to get back on your feet in weeks, not months. If you've exhausted all other non surgical treatment options, this might be the right treatment for you. It's called TOPAZ Coblation.
Here you will learn about:
- What is the TOPAZ procedure?
- TOPAZ microtenotomy procedure breakdown
- How long does TOPAZ surgery last?
- Is TOPAZ surgery painful?
- Plantar fascia recovery after the TOPAZ procedure
- What is the success rate of the TOPAZ treatment?
- Who is a good candidate for TOPAZ procedure?
- Advantages over traditional surgery
What is the TOPAZ Procedure?
TOPAZ coblation is a quick, simple, and minimally invasive medical procedure. It's the perfect treatment for tendons and fascia.
This technique is ideal for patients suffering from plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia - a ligament that runs between your heel and toes at the bottom of your foot. When it gets inflamed, it causes sharp heel pain.
The inflammation is generally caused by repeated stress, stretching, or microtears. It commonly affects people who spend a large portion of their day on their feet (like teachers, factory workers, and runners).
In time, scar tissue begins to form because of repeated damage to the ligament. This scar tissue serves as a blockade. It impedes the healing process by preventing nutrients from reaching the inflamed plantar fascia so your body can't heal.
This is when pain becomes chronic and limits treatment options. But all is not lost. Through technological advancement, we're now able to treat this condition without performing open surgery.
While plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, it's not the only cause. It’s important that you consult a podiatric expert for proper diagnosis and treatment.
TOPAZ Microtenotomy Procedure Breakdown
The procedure is safe and relatively straightforward. We apply the TOPAZ MicroDebrider on and around the plantar fascia or tendon. We use the TOPAZ wand, which looks a lot like a sewing needle, to penetrate the skin of the heel and treat the ligament.
We insert the TOPAZ wand for half-second duration radiofrequency treatments. The idea is to form a grid-like pattern so we insert the wand in different places on your heel, a quarter-inch apart.
The treatment is extremely precise. We remove small amounts of damaged tissue using a light application of radiofrequency energy guided through the wand.
Removing the scar tissue restores the blood flow to the area. This promotes the healing process and allows your body to repair the damaged ligament in full.
How Long Does TOPAZ Surgery Last?
The TOPAZ procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes. Since it's not open surgery, it can be performed relatively quickly without compromising safety.
TOPAZ coblation is an outpatient procedure, which means you'll be home for dinner the same day. Since there are no stitches involved, there will be minimal scarring and your foot will heal much faster.
Is TOPAZ Surgery Painful?
The TOPAZ procedure is not painful at all. You'll be under local or light sedation, so you'll feel no pain. It's likely you'll feel some pressure from the TOPAZ wand entering your heel, but that's it.
However, pain relief is not instantaneous. In fact, you will feel pain after the sedation wears off. Don't be alarmed - this is actually a good thing. Your pain is going to get a bit worse before it gets better.
This is due to the newly inflicted microtears. Your chronic inflammation will be replaced by an acute one. But this is a good thing. Now your body will be able to heal the plantar fascia since we've removed the blockade. You'll be back to normal in no time!
Plantar Fascia Recovery After the TOPAZ Procedure
For the first 2 weeks after the procedure, you should be in a walking boot and try to rest as much as you can. Avoid putting stress on your foot until it's had the chance to heal.
After the walking boot is removed, some physical therapy might speed up your recovery process. By this point, you should feel a considerable improvement.
We recommend you wear stable shoes equipped with a custom-made orthotic. Most people return to normal in 4 – 6 weeks.
What is the Success Rate of the TOPAZ Treatment?
The success rate of TOPAZ Coblation is extremely high. The procedure has a positive outcome 90% of the time. Once your recovery is complete, you'll be back to normal.
But don't celebrate just yet. It's a good idea to introduce some lifestyle changes so that the condition doesn't return. We'll help you make the necessary adjustments so your feet stay healthy and pain-free. Especially if you work on your feet most of the time.
Who Is a Good Candidate for TOPAZ Procedure?
TOPAZ is a perfect treatment for plantar fasciitis. It's specifically designed to treat soft tissue injuries and it's a minimally invasive procedure. Even so, it's not for everyone.
While the procedure is safe and has a high success rate, it's recommended to patients who have already exhausted all other non-surgical options.
The TOPAZ method may not be the best treatment for every patient experiencing heel pain. If you have partial tears in the fascia, you may be at an increased risk of rupture.
Additionally, patients with acute trauma, neurogenic disease, ligamentous disruption, or bone and joint abnormalities should not be treated with TOPAZ.
These risk factors are relatively rare, but you should still be aware they exist. Don't worry, before recommending the procedure, our podiatrists perform preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasound, or X-ray. We exclude other potential causes for heel pain and minimize the risk before we greenlight the treatment. Your feet are in safe hands.
Advantages Over Traditional Surgery
TOPAZ offers a wide array of benefits over traditional open surgery for chronic foot pain. Here are some of them:
- It's an outpatient procedure - you get to go home the same day
- Lower risk of infections and complications - open surgeries require a lot more post-surgical care
- Less post-surgical pain - while the pain will get worse before it gets, it's nothing compared to the long and arduous healing process after open surgery
- Faster healing - you'll be back on your feet in weeks, not months (especially with physical therapy)
- Minimal damage to healthy tissue - the procedure is extremely precise and there's no incision so most healthy tissue remains undamaged
- Minimal scarring - since we're only poking tiny holes in your heel, there's virtually no scar left
It's best to leave traditional open surgery as a last resort. And of course, as usual, you can count on our podiatrists to advise you on the best course of action.
If you're experiencing heel pain or you're diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and nothing helps, don't hesitate to schedule an appointment.
