For Jupiter-area patients living with the throbbing pain, shoe trouble, and steady progression of a bunion, the idea of surgery has historically meant weeks off your feet, a long incision across the foot, and a recovery measured in months. That has changed.

At Abacoa Podiatry & Leg Vein Center, Dr. Orlando Cedeno performs minimally invasive bunionectomy procedures that allow most patients to walk in a surgical shoe the same day and return to closed footwear within weeks rather than months.

What a Bunion Really Is

A bunion (hallux valgus) is not just a bump. It is a structural deviation of the first metatarsal — the long bone behind your big toe — that gradually shifts out of alignment. The visible bump is the head of that bone protruding inward, while the big toe rotates and drifts toward the second toe. This is why simply shaving down the bump has fallen out of favor — it does not fix the underlying alignment, and the deformity returns.

 How Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery Works

Through three or four puncture-sized incisions, Dr. Cedeno uses specialized burrs and fluoroscopic (live X-ray) guidance to:

  • Realign the first metatarsal at its origin
  • Stabilize the correction with small percutaneous screws
  • Smooth the remaining contour

There is no large open incision, no extensive soft tissue dissection, and no traditional wedge cut that requires prolonged non-weight-bearing.

What Recovery Actually Looks Like

  • Day 0: Walk out in a surgical shoe
  • Weeks 1–2: Light activity, elevation, minimal swelling
  • Weeks 3–6: Transition into a wide athletic shoe
  • Months 2–3: Most patients are back in regular shoes
  • Months 4–6: Final swelling resolves

This timeline varies by patient, but it represents a dramatic improvement over traditional open bunion surgery.

Who Is a Candidate

Not every bunion can be corrected this way. Severity, joint integrity, and bone quality all factor in. A consultation with weight-bearing X-rays is the only way to know whether the minimally invasive approach is appropriate for your foot.

If a bunion is affecting how you walk, what shoes you can wear, or how active you can be, schedule a consultation at Abacoa Podiatry & Leg Vein Center in Jupiter, FL.

Call (561) 624-4800 or book at jupiterlaser.com.