More than 65 million Americans suffer from bunions — a painful foot condition that often worsens over time and can make walking, exercising, and even wearing shoes uncomfortable or limiting. For many, what begins as a mild nuisance gradually turns into persistent pain that affects daily life.
If you’ve been told bunions are something you simply must live with, advances in bunion surgery are changing that narrative. Today’s treatment options focus not only on relieving pain, but on correcting the underlying problem to provide lasting improvement.
Few surgeons in the country have the level of training, experience, and case volume required to offer these advanced solutions consistently — and that expertise is available locally through Capital Ortho with Dr. Bradley Kellum and his team of experts.
Dr. Kellum, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who is fellowship-trained and specializes in foot and ankle surgery with Capital Ortho, has been inducted into the Lapiplasty® Centurion Club, a national distinction recognizing surgeons who have performed more than 100 Lapiplasty® 3D bunion correction procedures.
This achievement places Dr. Kellum among an elite group of foot and ankle surgeons nationwide who have demonstrated advanced experience and consistent outcomes using the Lapiplasty system — one of several modern surgical approaches available today to address painful bunion deformities.
Lapiplasty® is a patented bunion correction procedure developed by Treace Medical Concepts that treats bunions as a three-dimensional deformity. Unlike traditional bunion surgery, which often involves shaving the visible bump, Lapiplasty corrects the unstable joint in the midfoot that allows the deformity to develop in the first place.
“Rather than just shaving off the bump, Lapiplasty starts with the unstable joint in the midfoot,” Dr. Kellum explains. “By restoring proper alignment and stabilizing the bone, we’re able to achieve better correction, better straightness of the big toe, and greater long-term durability.”
The procedure realigns the metatarsal bone and secures it using patented titanium plates, addressing the rotational component of the deformity that is often left untreated in traditional approaches. This added stability is important, as bunions commonly recur when the joint is not properly secured.
Benefits of Lapiplasty® Bunion Correction
Patients treated with the Lapiplasty system may experience:
—A shorter non-weight-bearing period and earlier return to walking
—Improved range of motion in the big toe joint compared to traditional bunion surgery
—Long-term correction with a very low rate of recurrence
Bunions affect an estimated 65 million Americans and can make standing, walking, and wearing shoes increasingly painful. Over time, the metatarsal bone shifts out of alignment, forcing the big toe toward the smaller toes and creating the characteristic bump along the side of the foot.
While Lapiplasty offers clear advantages for many patients, Dr. Kellum emphasizes that bunion correction is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
“Lapiplasty is an excellent option for the right patient, but it’s one of several surgical techniques we may consider,” Dr. Kellum says. “My role is to evaluate each patient individually and determine which approach will give them the best long-term outcome based on their anatomy, lifestyle, and goals.”
Dr. Kellum has steadily built experience with advanced bunion correction techniques over several years, achieving Centurion status through consistent case volume and patient outcomes.
“The number-one reason patients seek bunion surgery is pain,” he adds. “The true test of any bunion correction isn’t just how it looks immediately after surgery, but how well that correction holds up over time. I’ve been very pleased with the results my patients have experienced.”
If you are suffering from painful bunions, a consultation with Dr. Kellum can help determine whether surgery is appropriate and which treatment option may be the best fit for you. Each patient is evaluated individually to develop a personalized plan focused on long-term relief, improved function, and a return to the activities you enjoy.
