What Is Tarsal Tunnel Decompression With Topaz and PRP?

Tarsal tunnel decompression with Topaz and PRP is a relatively new combination treatment for chronic foot pain caused by tarsal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis and other abnormal conditions of the foot and ankle. It can help relieve the pain, but if the condition that caused the pain is not corrected, your pain may return.

Tarsal tunnel

• The tarsal tunnel is a space between the bones of your foot and the fibrous tissue over them. The posterior tibial nerve runs through this very tight space, and if your foot bones move the wrong way when you walk or run, the space gets tighter and pinches the nerve. Pinched often enough and long enough, the nerve gets irritated and you feel severe pain in your heel. Decompression means enlarging the space to relieve pressure on the nerve.

Topaz

• Topaz coblation is a surgical procedure performed through skin punctures instead of incisions. It uses a special probe to remove scar tissue that may be causing pain by pressing on a nerve. The combination of this specialized instrument and the tiny openings needed to insert it causes less surgical trauma and allows you to recover much faster and return to normal activities much sooner than with traditional surgery.

PCP

• PCP stands for platelet-rich plasma. A small amount of your own blood -- about an ounce and a half -- is taken and spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the blood platelets and growth factors in it. This concentrated material is then injected under ultrasound guidance into the painful area of your heel to help stimulate healing and tissue regeneration.