Jeffrey A. Oster, DPM

Adult Reconstructive Foot And Ankle Surgery

Diplomat Of The American Board Of Podiatric Surgery
Fellow Of The American College Of Foot And Ankle Surgeons

Newark office - 1179 Cherry Valley Road, Newark, Ohio (740-344-2984)
Chillicothe office - 4457 State Route 159, Chillicothe, Ohio  45601 (740-775-7771)

Endoscopic Plantar Fasciotomy (EPF)

Endoscopic plantar fasciotomy was developed in the mid 1980's as an alternative to traditional heel spur surgery.  The logic of the EPF procedure was quite revolutionary at the time.  Traditional logic said that the heel spur was the primary source of pain in heel spur syndrome.  Subsequently, a traumatic surgical resection of the spur was performed.  The EPF procedure changed that logic by proving that heel spur pain could be eliminated with a simpler procedure, a plantar fasciotomy without resection of the spur.  As a result, EPF surgery rapidly became the standard of care, replacing the older heel spur resection surgery.

Dr. Oster was one of the early pioneers of endoscopic heel spur surgery and has taught many of his peers the EPF technique.  

EPF surgery is performed on an out-patient basis at a surgery center or hospital.  Local anesthesia with sedation is the anesthesia of choice.  The procedure take less that 15 minutes to complete.  Patients are able to bear weight the same day.  Patients return to regular shoes in two days wearing a Band-Aid on either side of the heel.

The following are images of an endoscopic heel spur surgery;