Dr Christoff Marais

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Services includes :

• Ankle replacement: Arthritis, which is common in smaller joints of the ankle and foot, causing stiffness, pain and inflammation is treated through ankle replacement surgery. Although ankle replacement is considered high-risk surgery for some because their ankle is unstable or they have a foot deformity, it's highly recommended for people suffering from ankle arthritis where the condition has damaged their ankle joint surfaces. People suffering from rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, causing inflammation from cartilage degeneration will need ankle replacement surgery to treat ankle pain. With ankle replacement surgery, the patient experiences increased mobility reducing arthritis of adjacent joints by putting less strain on joints.
• Ankle fusion: Ankle fusion, also known as ankle arthrodesis, fuses ankle bones into a single component mainly to treat osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition where the joint’s cartilage wears out, becoming rough and thin, causing painful bone-on-bone friction. To stop the swelling and pain, Dr Christoff Marais will fuse two or more ankle bones by making an incision in the joint, compressing and attaching bones using screws. During the ankle fusion, Dr Marais will correct weak muscles or a tight Achilles tendon by making three tiny incisions in the calf, through which lengthening begins by stretching the tendon.
• Morton’s neuroma surgery: Morton’s neuroma occurs when the nerve enlarges because of its confinement between the foot’s metatarsal bones. This trapped nerve needs to be removed during Morton’s neuroma surgery to reduce pain from the persistent burning feeling in the toes. People with Morton’s neuroma experience a tingling burning sensation in the toes and sharp pain from the permanent feeling of a pebble at the ball of the foot. The most effective way to treat Morton's neuroma is through surgery, and Dr Christoff Marais does so by making a cut on the surface of the foot between the metatarsal bones where the nerve is located, and a small section of it is removed.
• Tarsometatarsal (midfoot) fusion: Midfoot fusion aims to stiffen one or several tarsometatarsal joints through fusion to treat osteoarthritis from rheumatoid arthritis or a previous injury. Tarsometatarsal fusion aims to treat midfoot arthritis characterised by a prominent bone on the surface of the foot, making it difficult to stand or walk. Non-operative treatment from stiff-sole comfort shoes, activity modifications, and weight-loss may fail. Because of these reasons, people with midfoot arthritis or foot deformities such as cavus foot, a high-arched foot putting significant pressure on the foot's ball and heel or flat foot where the foot’s arches fail to form causing intense foot pain will require tarsometatarsal fusion. Dr Christoff Marais performs midfoot fusion by making two cuts on the upper part of the foot, removing selected joint cartilage for fusion. Once joint surface preparation is complete, possibly making use of bone grafts from the upper part of the shin bone to correct deformities, the surfaces are then aligned and secured with screws and plates.
• Triple arthrodesis: Commonly referred to as “triple fusion,” triple arthrodesis aims to merge the back part of the foot's three primary joints, the calcaneocuboid, subtalar and talonavicular. Triple arthrodesis treats osteoarthritis, minimising ankle pain as well as pain arising from foot deformities such as cavus, flat or club foot. Fusions are mostly avoided, but when the pain from a foot deformity becomes so severe, foot alignment through fusion is the only method of improving stability, making it easier to stand and walk. The procedure involves removing and if necessary, remoulding joint surfaces by correcting bone alignment using plates and screws. During a triple arthrodesis, the Achilles tendon is lengthened through stretching and deformed toes, along with foot deformities are corrected.
• Cheilectomy of the big toe: Often confused for a bunion, Hallux Rigidus, which is an arthritic disorder affecting the base of the big toe, resembling a bony lump at the top of the metatarsophalangeal joint and causes stiffness and pain, reducing the big toe’s mobility. As Hallux Rigidus degenerates, the big toe's range of motion is limited, gradually decreasing reaching an advanced stage of Rigidus, becoming stiff or frozen. Patients experiencing this type of disorder find it difficult to walk, climb upstairs or stoop down, and as Hallux Rigidus advances, some may find it challenging to stand. Because of the big toe's limited range of motion, the lump presses painfully against the joint and Dr Marais will have to perform a cheilectomy which involves removing the bony deformity. In addition to cheilectomy, he will recommend Moberg's Osteotomy, realigning the big toe making it easier to walk.
• Calf-lengthening surgery: With calf muscles tightening, the risk of damage to Achilles tendon increases, and as a result, you will experience pain, tightness as well as an increased risk of injury. As a result of calf tightness, there's an overuse of the Achilles tendon, a component of tissue connecting the back part of the calf muscles to the calcaneus commonly referred to as the heel bone. Heel cord lengthening, is one of the procedures performed to correct calf tightness. Dr Marais usually performs Achilles tendon expanding in children with a severe deformity referred to as club foot. In this congenital disability, the soles of the feet invert to face each other with the feet pointing inward.
• Fusion of the big toe: Mainly, the merging of the big toe aims to correct Hallux Rigidus, arthritis of the big toe as well as rheumatoid arthritis. Hallux Valgus or bunions is a degenerative foot deformity affecting the first metatarsophalangeal joint resulting in foot pain, eventually progressing to functional disability. Bunions cause stiffness and pain aggravated by arthritis and wearing tight shoes acting as further catalysts of foot stress. Dr Marais performs a fusion of the big toe to prevent new progressive pain, or weakness from deformity after previous procedures fail to deliver desired results. He performs a fusion of the big toe making a cut at the side of the toe, opening up the joint where arthritic joint surfaces are reshaped to fix any deformity. Once positioned, it's aligned with plates or screws and closed using sutures.
• Lateral ligament reconstruction of the ankle: During sporting activities, injury can occur from a severe twist of the ankle joint amounting to a sprained ankle, and as a result, the ligaments are either stretched or torn. In most cases, ankle sprains resolve through healing and lateral ligament reconstruction is only sought once the ankle ligaments fail to recover or become slack after a long period of recovery. Should the ligament become loose and unstable, Dr Marais will perform either a Brostrom or tendon reconstruction surgery. Tendon reconstructive surgery treating injured tendons of the ankle is only performed when Brostrom surgery fails to deliver the necessary results.
• Ankle arthroscopy: An ankle Arthroscopy, often involves cutting away injured soft tissue from synovitis. Athlete's ankle from anterior ankle impingement is the result of inflammation of soft tissue or bone located at the anterior of the ankle joint, causing swelling and pain restricting the motion of the ankle. People suffering from Athlete's ankle find it challenging to walk or climb stairs and once bone spurs are diagnosed through X-rays, Dr Marais can perform an arthroscopy shaving osteophytes and injured tissue. Before surgery, Dr Christoff Marais will investigate damage to the ankle from arthritis, Osteochrondal defects, arthrofibrosis and fractures before deciding on a conclusive surgical approach through the minimally invasive technique.
• Weil’s Osteotomies: When the ball of your foot becomes painful as a result of inflammation, which is highly likely if you engage in high-intensity activities such as running or jumping, then you may have developed Metatarsalgia. This condition causes extreme progressive pain when you walk barefoot or flex your feet. Dr Marais performs a Weil Osteotomy to treat Metatarsalgia shortening the long metatarsals, relaxing the metatarsophalangeal joint by aligning hammertoes. Before surgery, X-rays are conducted to measure the metatarsophalangeal joint for realignment. Dr Marais operates on the metatarsophalangeal joint situated at the base of the toe by exposing the joint to resect a portion of the bone, enabling relaxation of the tissues to relieve foot pressure. Realignment involves positioning the bone using one or two tiny screws.
• Achilles tendon reconstruction: Tendon rupture is likely to occur when engaging in recreational sports, but anyone regardless of whether or not you play sport is susceptible to tendon damage. Once the Achilles tendon, a sturdy fibrous cord that connects the back calf muscles to the heel bone ruptures, you'll hear a pop followed by stinging pain at the back of your ankle. People with severe Achilles tendonitis, often found in older people who run or play tennis experience debilitating pain from rupturing. Achilles tendon reconstruction is becoming a necessity considering that the Achilles tendon assists with walking and even with home remedies, severely injured tendons are unable to heal on its own. Dr Marais performs Achilles tendon reconstruction through advanced minimally invasive methods sewing both ends of the torn tendon together.
• Hallux valgus correction: A bony lump termed bunion developing at the base of the big toe, joining with the first metatarsal causes extreme discomfort and is often identified when your big toe juts in the direction of your second toe. Hallus Valgus or bunionectomy treats the foot deformity by removing the bunion, relieving foot pressure. For women who are more susceptible to bunions, lifestyle changes that involve swopping heels for athletic shoes don't seem to be effective and often Hallus Valgus surgery becomes a desirable option to relieve enduring foot pressure from bunions. If using protective pads to cushion debilitating bunions doesn't work, you should consider a bunionectomy. This procedure relieves severe symptoms of foot pain, immobility of the big toe, preventing you from completing daily activities.