Dr. Randall C. Thomas Jr. DPM FACFAS Foot & Ankle Surgeon Professionalism Integrity Compassion Outcomes Accessibility
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There are over 100 bunion procedures listed in the medical literature.

Is your bunion a candidate for the new, advanced, cutting edge toe surgery...Toeplasty ?
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Did you know Dr. Thomas is considered an expert in conservative and surgical management of bunions?
He is one of the nation's highest volume minimal invasive bunion surgeons. 

After countless hours in cadaver and anatomy labs, teaching and learning at courses in the USA and Europe, and years of practice Dr. Thomas has designed a unique surgical procedure for bunions  that achieves improvement in the deformity and patients report a more pleasing cosmetic outcome. 
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​"Bunion procedures are where science and art come together to produce a desirable, cosmetically pleasing, and pain reducing outcome."
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Toeplasty: Not all bunions are the same. Call the office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Thomas to see if your bunion qualifies for this unique, advanced procedure. ​

Content from Toeplasty​.com
*Patients Describe as Cosmetic Toe Surgery
*Innovation in Bunion Treatment
​Bunion Surgery has changed!
Have you considered Toeplasty
Patients describe as lasting and cosmetic Toe Surgery for Bunions
This can provide patients with a less invasive, advanced, and unique option to quickly address their bunion pain, get them back on their feet, have less scars with a more natural look, and less risk for complications. 

Schedule with a Doctor Near You
Toeplasty, or as described above cosmetic toe surgery, was founded by Dr. Randall Thomas and others have trained with him to learn these advances surgery techniques. ​
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Review X-rays and Clinical Findings
Weight bearing x-rays and physical exam along with watchin the patient stand/walk are critical in making a decision of whether or not you are a candidate for Toeplasty
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Consider Risks and Benefits
Your surgeon will determine which option is best for you. The Toeplasty options can apply to many types of bunions and arthritis of the big toe joint. However you want to make sure you're not going to a one size fits all bunions practice, each situation is unique and you deserve individualized patient care. ​
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Schedule Surgery to address the Bunion Pain 
Review details and have questions answered prior to scheduling your Toeplasty. See below common questions to ask your surgeon.​

​If your surgeon only performs one type of bunion surgery regardless of the bunion, walk away and get a second opinion. There is no “one surgery" for all types of bunion. Don’t be involved with a “cookie-cutter” practice for your foot and ankle care. 

​Tools to a Successful Outcome

Recommended questions to ask your bunion surgeon:
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- How many bunion surgeries, and what types, have you performed?
- How often do your patients need a revision of your work
- Will you be using hardware, like screws or plates?
- Do you use non-metal hardware in any of your surgeries
- Will other areas of my foot be addressed in the surgery?
Don’t get discouraged by a busy practice
- A busy surgeon is one who has a great reputation and is highly sought-after.  To get the most qualified surgeon sometimes you must be patient with delays in their accessibility and schedule. We recommend you find a surgeon you are comfortable with that can provide not only great surgical outcomes, but also create an excellent patient experience. Word of mouth remains the best referral source. Speak with your friends. Finding the right surgeon is well worth the wait. Your foot is a complex and vital structure don't settle for just any surgeon. 

​Every bunion is different and Dr Thomas feels doctors that have a ‘one size fits all’ approach to bunions might be doing their patients a disservice. There are over 100 bunion procedures listed in the medical literature.

Here are some factors your doctor must consider when choosing a bunion surgery for you:
Intermetatarsal Angle
Mobility of  1st Ray
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Atavistic Cuneiform ​
​Pronation of hallux (rotation of big toe)
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​Position of sesamoid bones (underneath the big toe joint)
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​Patient activity level and shoe goals
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​For those that qualify, the Toeplasty involves a combination of small keyhole incisions and a small open incision on the top of the big toe joint that allows for correction of all three planes of the bunion deformity.
 
While other procedures only deal with part of the problem the Toeplasty can correct the frontal, sagittal, and coronal planes of the bunion deformity. It also allows for decompression of the joint in the case of early arthritis, also called hallux limitus.
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With the Toeplasty procedure Dr. Thomas will likely address the big toe joint removing any spurs of bone, removing the bunion ‘bump,’ then a unique soft tissue balancing of tendons and ligaments to help with re-alignment, and finally a minimal invasive wedge cut of the big toe bone to align and secure with a small headless screw or pin (either option sits flush with the bone and isn’t prominent).

Through soft tissue balancing and bone cuts the correction can be achieved in a simple, relatively quick, outpatient procedure with lower recurrence rate and more pleasing scars and appearance. 
 
​​ In many cases the patient can walk the day of surgery in a post op shoe.


This can be done as a local only without anesthesia, under a twilight anesthesia (such as dental procedures or most colonoscopies), or general anesthesia.

Most importantly, the goal is to maintain range of motion of the joint and restore activity as quickly as possible.

Below is a general overview of the Toeplasty. At your consult the surgeon will analyze your foot and x-rays then discuss whether or not you are a candidate for this patient described cosmetic toe procedure and specific details including risks and benefits.

Procedure 
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The Toeplasty surgeon will likely address the big toe joint removing any spurs of bone, removing the bunion ‘bump,’ then a unique soft tissue balancing of tendons and ligaments to help with re-alignment, and finally a minimal invasive wedge cut of the big toe bone to align and secure with a small headless screw or pin (either option sits flush with the bone and isn’t prominent).
Recurrence
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Although further progression of the bunion can occur, this is typically if the wrong patient is selected for this advanced procedure. Initial data with recurrence rates is around 2-8% which is much better than the reported traditional bunion surgeries depending on the literature read can be upwards of 40%. ​
​Customization
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Performing hundreds of foot surgeries per year Dr. Thomas, who developed the Toeplasty surgery has a keen understanding of which patients are appropriate for the Toeplasty and how to optimize the patients outcomes. He will follow the Toeplasty protocol and work with the individual patient to address their goals of a less invasive option to decrease their pain long-term.

General overview of the unique procedure designed by Dr Thomas called the Toeplasty:
Small incision leaves minimal scar
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Removal of excess bone on top and side of big toe joint. 
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​The bones cuts are made and the soft tissue is balanced
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Bone wedge resection through one keyhole incision with one stitch. The toe can be straightened and rotated into position. The toe can also be shortened, the joint space increased, and/or toe elevated or lowered into correct position such as the following: 
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​The bone is then held in place with a screw or pin which are headless and sit flush with the bone preventing the patient feeling the hardware. This is done through a second small keyhole incision and one stitch.
 
Again the two small key hole incisions are below, one incision to make the cut with a bur that runs saline through it to prevent causing too much heat to the bone and necrosis such as seen with using a saw for the bone cut. The second incision to place the screw or pin.
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The correction and hardware placement are confirmed with live x-ray with mimicking weight bearing using a sterile plate
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Designed in 2019 by Dr. Randall Thomas of Columbus, Ohio. After countless hours in cadaver and anatomy labs, teaching and learning at courses in the USA and Europe, and years of practice Dr. Thomas designed a unique more cosmetic appealing toe surgery for bunions and big toe joint arthritis that achieves improvement in the deformity and a more pleasing  outcome. ​
Individualized Care every bunion is different and Dr. Randall Thomas feels doctors that have a ‘one size fits all’ approach to bunions might be doing their patients a disservice. Call us today and see if your bunion is a candidate for this unique procedure. ​

​Toeplasty can achieve dramatic results
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A structural deformity, one surgery procedure does not fit all bunions. The bunion relates to the entire foot, ankle, and calf.
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Individual results may vary however technology in this field has greatly improved surgery time, pain/recovery, and outcomes. See if your surgeon is trained in the Toeplasty toe procedure. 
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Dr. Thomas practices at the Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Center in Columbus Ohio. Additionally he has trained numerous surgeons who practice throughout the United States and even as far away as Australia on this advanced and unique toe surgery. 
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Dr. Randall Thomas DPM FACFAS
Board Certified Foot & Ankle Surgeon


Now seeing patients in our Dublin-Perimeter and Worthington offices


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Call Dr Thomas’ office today to set up an appointment to see if you are a candidate for and learn more about the Toeplasty procedure at 614-895-8747 
Dr. Thomas is Accessible
614-895-8747
2024 Copyright www.ohiofootandanklesurgeon.com, Dr. Randall C. Thomas Jr. DPM an Associate at the Clintonville & Dublin Foot and Ankle Group Columbus Ohio.

Viewer discretion advised with patient cases
The information shared on this website should not be considered personal treatment recommendations. This site is intended to be an interactive resume of Dr. Thomas and should be used for information purposes only. This site cannot replace the individual doctor-patient relationship you have with your physician. Some of the content on this website may be provided by a third party and is posted here as a reference not necessarily reflecting the opinion of Dr. Thomas. The purpose of this website is educational and informative regarding Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. The information is the opinion of Dr. Thomas and not the group practice. Medical information may be out of date and contain omissions. Any patient information will be protected and confidential in compliance with HIPPA. Outcomes presented here are not guaranteed. Dr. Thomas reserves the right to disregard any direct contact or requests. If you need personal or immediate assistance contact your primary care physician or 911. Under no circumstances will the website author, Dr. Thomas, or Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center be liable for any direct or indirect damages arising in connection to the use of this site. Patient education and Blogs are not a substitute for personalized medical advice in person with a physician. Remember according to Dr. Thomas "an educated patient is a great patient."