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Durham Regional Hospital, Durham, NC, now offers patients with a broken heel bone (in four or fewer pieces) a new minimally invasive surgical option called calcaneoplasty.
The procedure involves a single, half-centimeter incision and insertion of a balloon into the bone; inflating the balloon shifts the bony pieces back in place.
Once the balloon is deflated, the remaining cavity is filled with a bone "putty" that stimulates bone growth. The surgery usually takes 20-30 minutes; traditional procedures can take about 2 hours and require a 6-8 cm incision.
Typically, patients can place weight on the injured foot 4-6 weeks following surgery and return to normal activities within 2-3 months.
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