Foot & Ankle Surgeon Attends National Conference and Expands Treatment Options

Damian Roussel, DPM, FACFAS, of the Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute (MMI), was among the record-breaking number of Foot and Ankle Surgeons from around the world who gathered in Las Vegas recently for the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons’ 75th Anniversary Scientific Conference.  Attendance at this landmark event played a crucial role enabling Dr. Roussel to expand his surgical knowledge and skills training to bring the latest Foot and Ankle surgical techniques back to the Frederick region.

The conference featured forward-focusing scientific sessions, which introduced new, progressive techniques and abundant opportunity for acquiring continuing medical education (CME) credit. Surgeons who attended this conference advance the profession of Foot and Ankle Surgery world-wide, and Dr. Roussel is among this highly skilled, pioneering group.  When asked about the value of conferences like this, Dr. Roussel stated, "The annual ACFAS conference allows me to reconnect with colleagues, exchange ideas and techniques, and keep abreast of the newest advances and literature all of which make me a better doctor and a better surgeon."

In his continuing effort to bring the latest in cutting edge treatment and surgical options to his patients, Dr. Roussel recently received specialized training in performing a new procedure specifically developed to correct all 3 dimensions of bunion deformity.  A bunion is a common, yet complex deformity caused by a bone in the middle of the foot that is misaligned resulting in a boney bump at the base of the big toe. The Lapiplasty procedure allows complete correction of even the most severe bunion deformities and allows patients to bear weight on their foot immediately after surgery.  Dr. Roussel noted that “For many patients traditional 2D bunion surgery, fails to get to the true source of the problem, leaving them with continued pain and often unhappy with the look and function of their foot after surgery.  Lapiplasty allows a 3D correction of bunion deformities using a predictable and reproducible system that can fully and permanently correct the problem by repositioning the entire bone back into normal 3D alignment."   Dr. Roussel is currently one of only three Lapiplasty trained surgeons in the state of Maryland. 

Dr. Roussel has also recently received specialized training in performing the Cartiva procedure for patients suffering from the pain and limited motion of advanced arthritis in the great toe joint.  This new procedure, utilizing the Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant, has gotten much attention in the press recently because it produces nearly the same substantial reduction in pain as surgical fusion but preserves motion of the joint.  As with the Lapiplasty procedure, this procedure also lets patients bear weight immediately postop.  Dr. Roussel commented that "This is a good option for patients who wish to avoid fusion or joint replacement and desire a shorter rehabilitation.  The Cartiva implant allows me to restore the normal anatomy to the joint while maintaining or improving my patient’s motion, relieving their pain and restoring function.”

Dr. Roussel is a fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.  This professional society of 7,400 foot and ankle surgeons was founded to promote research and provide continuing education for the foot and ankle surgical specialty.  Dr. Roussel also serves as a peer review editor for the Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery and is one of a limited few Foot and Ankle Surgeons in the Frederick area who are Board Certified in Foot Surgery and Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Surgery.  He has been in practice with MMI since 2009.

Save