08/15/2006    

PODIATRISTS IN THE NEWS

TOPAZ Tendon Surgery Superior to Traditional Techniques: VA Podiatrist

Rosemary Brastrom was an active mother of four and a lifeguard when a car accident damaged both of her Achilles tendons, so she underwent a new type of tendon surgery called TOPAZ. The method is aimed at mending the torn tendons and ligaments people get from playing sports or doing daily activities, without the trauma that previous sufferers might have endured. "There's less pain and quicker return to activities than ever before," said Dr. Ross Girvan, a podiatrist with the Fredericksburg Foot & Ankle Center. "The size of the incision we have to make is getting smaller and smaller."

Dr. Ross Givan

The majority of the surgeries in which Girvan has used TOPAZ were for either Achilles tendinitis or plantar fasciitis. The surgery is performed with a microdebrider, a small wand, while the patient is under mild sedation. Girvan said the reason the surgery is better than previous treatments is that it actually initiates the healing process. "The tool just puts a small hole into the tendon at a low temperature, which releases some of the pressure," he said. Girvan said this means there is increased blood flow. He explained that the reason tendons and ligaments used to take so long to heal is that the damaged area was removed, but then the tendon or ligament would have to be stitched up and heal naturally. With TOPAZ, "it's really less about removing the damaged parts and more about creating the healing process," Girvan said.

Girvan said he is one of a number of podiatrists in the area who use TOPAZ. Girvan said that while TOPAZ and other forms of Coblation do cause some tissue damage, it is less than the damage caused by traditional surgical methods. "The TOPAZ wand works at about 30 degrees Celsius [about 50 degrees Fahrenheit], " he said. "Coblation is less invasive, so therefore it does less damage."

Girvan said one of the biggest advantages he's found is that TOPAZ helps get through surgery quicker. "Surgery for heel pain would usually take awhile, but now it takes about seven minutes," he said. Not only is the surgery time shorter, but the healing time is, as well, he said.

Source: Ellen Biltz, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star [8/13/06]