LASER Foot & Ankle Surgery Laser technology may seem like a mysterious and complicated science, but it’s really not. Think about a Laser as you would a sunbeam - did anyone ever show you the “magnifying glass experiment” when you were younger? Lasers work in much the same way during surgery to treat your foot problem. Although Laser is an exciting technology, there are some limits. Research is under way, but bone problems like bunions and hammer toes cannot currently be treated with Laser. I have personally been performing Laser foot and ankle surgery since 1984. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about Laser surgery. What is a Laser? A Laser is a device that generates an intense beam of light - light that’s man-made and not known to occur in nature. The word Laser is an acronym which stands for: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation What does a surgical Laser do? A surgical Laser beam can cut or vaporize tissue almost instantaneously. It is so precise that the surrounding tissue is hardly affected. And the beam sterilizes and seals blood vessels as it cuts so there’s generally less bleeding, less post-operative pain and less chance of post-operative infection than with conventional surgical instruments. Is Laser surgery a new technique? Not at all. Lasers have been used for everything from removal of tonsils to treatment of infertility. More recently, Lasers have been used to remove tattoos and facial skin wrinkles and even to treat disc problems in the spine. Laser use in podiatry is now quite common, although not every podiatrist owns a Laser. Does it hurt? Many patients have reported that Laser surgery is far less painful than conventional techniques. Depending on the nature of your problem, your doctor will probably numb the area with a local anesthetic before using the Laser. Is Laser like an x-ray? No. There is no ionizing radiation present in the Laser beam. Some Common Foot Problems Treatable with A LASER are: Fungal Nails: Infections of the toenails by a fungus similar to the one that causes athlete’s foot. Warts: Benign skin growths caused by a virus. The Laser beam can be used to vaporize warts, sometimes providing permanent relief when other methods have failed. Ingrown Toenails: Nails that grow into the flesh, causing pain and often leading to infection. The Laser can be used to prevent the offending part of the nail from regrowing. Neuromas: A nerve growth causing burning, stinging, or sharp pain. The Laser can be used to remove the “pinched” section of nerve. Porokeratosis: Slightly elevated, wart-like lesions that originate in the sweat glands and are often painful. About Dr. Cowin | Minimally Invasive Surgery | Laser Surgery Center for Advanced Foot Surgery 390 Maitland Avenue • Altamonte Springs, FL 32701 USA (407) 834-7748 • Fax (407) 834-5633 Copyright © 2000 All Rights Reserved. Intelligent Media Ventures, Inc.