Julien Lopez - Ankle and Foot Soft Tissue Surgeon

Soft tissue surgeon of the ankle and foot, Doctor Julien Lopez can help you in case of discomfort or pain.

The purpose of “soft tissue” is to maintain bone structures and organs. In orthopedics, it is all muscles, tendons, joints and nerves.

When rupture, compression, inflammation or the formation of a mass are observed on these tissues, discomfort appears. To ease your pain and to walk without pain, make an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon in one of his offices located in Nice, Cap d'Ail, Mandelieu or book in a video consultation.

He accompanies you during all stages of your care so that you live daily life without any discomfort.

Treatments to consider before ankle soft tissue surgery

Soft tissue surgery of the ankle and foot acts on all tissues involved in the musculoskeletal system. Its objective is to solve pain that occurs due to:

• Rupture of muscle fibres = breakdown
• Tearing of a tendon such as Achilles tendon rupture
• Tendon inflammation = tendinitis or tendinopathy
• Ligament involvement = sprain
• Inflammation of a bursa = bursitis
• Appearance of a cystic mass = effusion of synovial fluid (cyst)
• Pressure on a nerve or blood vessel: nerve compression
• Onset of plantar mass = cyst

All the pressures, ruptures and inflammations occurring in the muscles, tendons, nerves or blood vessels are pathologies of soft tissue.

From stopping your sports practice to the inability to place your foot on the ground, the symptoms and handicaps are multiple and must lead you to having a consultation to address these issues.

Non-surgical treatments considered

Non-surgical treatments are first considered by the specialist before considering an operation of the soft tissues of the ankle. Depending on the intensity of the pain and the degree of discomfort experienced, they may consist of:

• Physiotherapy sessions to re-educate muscles injured by a shock or taking part in sports practices that were too intense
• Immobilization of the ankle/foot affected by a sprain or breakdown
• Resting of the joint/muscle in question and placing ice on the area concerned
• Stopping sport for a period of time so that soft tissues can rebuild
• Wearing proper soles and footwear, using strategically positioned gel zones

Drug treatments may also be considered to eliminate any cystic or fibroic masses. Synovial cysts, for example, may be subjected to cortisone injections and punctures to remove these lumps that interfere with footwear and/or walking. Anti-pain medications as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications may also be prescribed by the foot specialist to reduce the pain caused by some of these conditions.

Consultation and support

Doctor Julien Lopez treats all inflammations, compressions, tears and strains occurring in the soft tissues of your foot and ankle.

It welcomes you in one of its offices located in Nice, Mandelieu and Cap d'Ail to ask you questions, carry out a precise diagnosis and provide for a possible minimally invasive or open surgical operation depending on each patient.

Whenever possible, the foot and ankle soft tissue surgeon will refer you to non-surgical treatments. However, surgery is sometimes necessary.

Detailed interview: understanding discomfort

During the consultation, Dr. Julien Lopez asks you a set of questions in order to understand your symptoms, the origin of your pain as well as the handicaps it causes on a daily basis.

This interview focuses on the following:

• The date of when it began and what the issue is (sprain, cyst, etc.)
• The type of pain experienced (tingling, electric shocks, burns, etc.)
• The frequency and intensity of your pain (transient and acute, frequent and continuous…)
• The moment during which it becomes the most disabling (footwear, placing your foot on the ground, sports practice, etc.)

It may also prescribe additional examinations to have more finely analyzed the various soft tissues and diameters of any masses that occurred on your foot or ankle. Thus, the results of X-rays, ultrasound and MRI allow him to visualize all the joints, tendons, muscles and all the soft tissues supporting the bone structure of your foot. With this, he can determine the cause of your pain and establish an accurate diagnosis.

If necessary, Doctor Julien Lopez will tell you about soft tissue surgery of your foot to solve your pain and discomfort. He will accompany you throughout the process, from your appointment with the anesthetist to post-operative care.

Your foot and ankle soft tissue surgeon

Specializing in the soft tissues of the foot and ankle, Dr. Julien Lopez operates on your pathologies using a percutaneous technique when non-surgical treatments such as rest, immobilization or the application of ice are not enough to reduce your pain.

When these attacks become frequent or recurrent, fragility can occur. In this case, a surgical operation can be considered by a specialist so that you can find a shoe and a walk without pain. The doctor then explains all the stages of the surgical procedure.

Percutaneous Surgery: Foot and Ankle Soft Tissue Operations

Wherever possible, Dr. Julien Lopez prefers to use percutaneous surgery on the soft tissues of the foot.

Through incisions of only a few millimeters, suitable tools and medical imaging, it releases pressure, removes cystic masses and resolves percutaneous inflammations. He performs tendon sections (tenotomies), dissections and reconstructions through non-invasive operations.

For synovial cysts, the tissues surrounding the cystic mass are dissected to remove the entire lump and prevent it from reforming.

For compression of a nerve or blood vessel causing tingling and swelling on the foot or ankle respectively, the specialist releases them by removing the mass that causes the compression.

In case of inflammation of a tendon, or tendinitis, a «combing» of the tendon is done through several small incisions in the direction of the tendon (Achilles tendon). In this case, PRP (plasma-rich platelets) is sometimes injected to accelerate the healing of the tendon prone to repeated inflammations.

Non-invasive operations: faster recovery and a discreet scar

This surgery has several advantages compared to the open surgery because it is performed:

• As outpatient surgery, which allows a return home in a few hours
• Under local anesthesia
• With less risk of complications
• By using incisions of only a few millimeters

It allows a faster recovery and one with less swelling and reduced pain. The scars are small, discreet and aesthetic thanks to Dr. Julien Lopez, surgeon specialized in the soft tissues of the ankle and foot.