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Lasers have captivated the imaginations of movie-goers for years, making ominous appearances as doomsday devices, or as future personal combat weapons. While special effect explosions are impressive, they pale in comparison to the real-life benefits this technology now offers to patients. Podiatry laser surgery has proven effective in treating several types of foot problems, from injuries to chronic infections.
The light produced creating these kinds of beams is monochromatic, unlike sunlight. When focused, it does not become diffuse, and contains an enormous amount of potential energy. It is used today to cut materials more precisely, to send digital data over fiber optic cable, or even to play a DVD. It has been widely employed in the medical field for over thirty years, and has proven especially beneficial in eye surgery.
When integrated into traditional surgical foot procedures, they are helping make many operations both faster and safer. Some patients experience less post-operative swelling and a shorter recovery time when compared to invasive scalpel work. Doctors who specialize in sports medicine or who often repair broken bones in the feet find that lasers are ideal both for repairing and cleaning areas of easily-damaged soft tissue.
A focused light-beam enables greater surgical accuracy, and can precisely pinpoint a very small piece of tissue, destroying it with a small burst of energy. Common foot problems that benefit from these treatments include painful plantar warts on the sole or heel, various types of deep callouses, and large toenails which become often become painfully swollen with infection. Using precision light tools causes no additional pain.
Because these beams simultaneously incise and cauterize, the chances of excess bleeding or infection decrease dramatically. In most cases, an operation of this type can be performed as an out-patient procedure using only a local anesthetic, and often requiring only one treatment. Any invasive procedure can potentially develop complications, but the chances of this occurring post-laser treatment is smaller.
In the past sixty years nail fungal infections have grown commonplace, and can be spread easily from person to person. Traditional treatments included removing the nail completely, while attempting to sterilize the nail bed. Recurrence is common, because the spores are widespread. New internal drugs work well for some, but can cause potentially dangerous side effects. Laser treatments offer new hope, and in many cases produce vastly superior results.
The light not only kills the fungi, but also sterilizes the infected area. Individual treatments are painless, and the most commonly reported sensation is a slight warmth, with no local anesthesia required. In most cases, the total procedure lasts less than an hour. While no treatment can accurately claim 100% success, most of these infections begin to improve after only one session, compared to many weeks using internal medications.
While most effective for minimally invasive procedures, light technology is also being employed during surgery for painful conditions such as hammertoes, and many sports-related tendon and ligament injuries. Some types of arthritis also benefit, as well as certain neuropathies. The results can leave patients with better mobility and less residual scar tissue. Healing rates are generally faster, reducing recovery time and discomfort.
The light produced creating these kinds of beams is monochromatic, unlike sunlight. When focused, it does not become diffuse, and contains an enormous amount of potential energy. It is used today to cut materials more precisely, to send digital data over fiber optic cable, or even to play a DVD. It has been widely employed in the medical field for over thirty years, and has proven especially beneficial in eye surgery.
When integrated into traditional surgical foot procedures, they are helping make many operations both faster and safer. Some patients experience less post-operative swelling and a shorter recovery time when compared to invasive scalpel work. Doctors who specialize in sports medicine or who often repair broken bones in the feet find that lasers are ideal both for repairing and cleaning areas of easily-damaged soft tissue.
A focused light-beam enables greater surgical accuracy, and can precisely pinpoint a very small piece of tissue, destroying it with a small burst of energy. Common foot problems that benefit from these treatments include painful plantar warts on the sole or heel, various types of deep callouses, and large toenails which become often become painfully swollen with infection. Using precision light tools causes no additional pain.
Because these beams simultaneously incise and cauterize, the chances of excess bleeding or infection decrease dramatically. In most cases, an operation of this type can be performed as an out-patient procedure using only a local anesthetic, and often requiring only one treatment. Any invasive procedure can potentially develop complications, but the chances of this occurring post-laser treatment is smaller.
In the past sixty years nail fungal infections have grown commonplace, and can be spread easily from person to person. Traditional treatments included removing the nail completely, while attempting to sterilize the nail bed. Recurrence is common, because the spores are widespread. New internal drugs work well for some, but can cause potentially dangerous side effects. Laser treatments offer new hope, and in many cases produce vastly superior results.
The light not only kills the fungi, but also sterilizes the infected area. Individual treatments are painless, and the most commonly reported sensation is a slight warmth, with no local anesthesia required. In most cases, the total procedure lasts less than an hour. While no treatment can accurately claim 100% success, most of these infections begin to improve after only one session, compared to many weeks using internal medications.
While most effective for minimally invasive procedures, light technology is also being employed during surgery for painful conditions such as hammertoes, and many sports-related tendon and ligament injuries. Some types of arthritis also benefit, as well as certain neuropathies. The results can leave patients with better mobility and less residual scar tissue. Healing rates are generally faster, reducing recovery time and discomfort.
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