Open

Mon – Fri: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sun*: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (*alternating)

Book Appointment

Book an Appointment

Our simple to use, online booking process makes it easy to book an appointment with a chiropodist for any of our services. No referral needed!
Open

Mon – Fri: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sun*: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (*alternating)

Book Appointment

Book an Appointment

Our simple to use, online booking process makes it easy to book an appointment with a chiropodist for any of our services. No referral needed!
Book Appointment

Book an Appointment

Our simple to use, online booking process makes it easy to book an appointment with a chiropodist for any of our services. No referral needed!

Surgical Procedures

On This Page

Overview

At Feet First Clinic, our chiropodists perform the following surgical procedures:

  1. Partial Nail Avulsion
  2. Total Nail Avulsion
  3. Wart Needling
  4. Wart Excision

See the “Procedures” section below for further information.

All procedures are performed with medical grade steel instruments, which are sterilized for each client. At our foot clinic, we follow an intense sterilization process and safety protocols in compliance with Health Canada regulations to ensure our instruments are clean and contaminant-free.  See the Safety section below for more information.

Although not covered by OHIP, most extended benefits providers will cover surgical procedures performed by chiropodists in whole or in part.  See the Insurance section below for more information.

Procedures

Partial Nail Avulsion (PNA)

This procedure involves the safe surgical removal of part of the toenail and any affected tissue.  The toe is first numbed with a local anesthetic.  The chiropodist will cut open and drain any areas of infection.  A narrow vertical strip is then removed on the affected side of the nail from the edge to base of the nail.  Antibiotics and a dressing are applied to the exposed nail bed to prevent infection. This procedure is most often performed on deeply ingrown toenails that do not respond to non-surgical treatment.  It can also be performed on thickened toenails, cracked toenails, infected toenails, fungal toenails or disfigured toenails that are causing ongoing pain and discomfort, and do not respond to non-surgical treatments.  

In the case of a chronic ingrown toenail, the chiropodist may then apply a chemical called phenol to prevent nail regrowth. This means your toenail will be more narrow than it was before, but it will prevent further issues. 

Total Nail Avulsion (TNA)

Sometimes, a partial nail avulsion may not fully address the underlying issue.  In these cases, the chiropodist may perform a total nail avulsion.  A total nail avulsion is similar to a partial nail avulsion; however, instead of just removing a narrow strip of the nail, the entire nail is removed from the nailbed.  A total nail avulsion is performed when the underlying problem reoccurs after a partial nail avulsion, or if an issue is affecting the entire toenail (as opposed to just a portion of it).  In some cases, a healthy problem-free toenail will grow back afterwards.  The regrowth process takes about 12 to 18 months.  However, in cases where the issue is likely to reoccur, phenol may be applied to ensure a new toenail does not grow back.  This would prevent whatever issue was affecting the nail from reoccurring.

Total nail avulsion is most often performed for recurring deeply ingrown toenails; however it is also used to treat thickened toenails, cracked toenails, infected toenails, fungal toenails or disfigured toenails that are causing ongoing pain and discomfort, and do not respond to non-surgical treatments.

Wart Needling

 

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Needling is a simple surgical procedure for wart removal.  A local anesthetic is first applied to numb the area.  The wart is then punctured with a sterile needle approximately 100 times.  The puncturing pushes the wart-causing virus (HPV) further into the body, which triggers an immune response.  This immune response helps your body recognize and fight off the virus, and in turn, the plantar warts.  If the procedure is successful, your body’s immune response will fight off any other warts and make them go away.  

Needling is often used for people with multiple warts or clusters (mosaic plantar warts), or for particularly stubborn cases of plantar warts that resist other less invasive treatments.  It is about 70% effective.

Wart Excision

Excision is used for plantar warts that resist other treatments.  The foot is first numbed with a local anesthetic.  Then, as the name implies, the wart is cut away (or “excised”) from the skin with a sterilized surgical instrument.  The base is also cauterized to ensure no living viral tissue is left behind.  There is a risk of scarring, so this method isn’t used unless other treatments have failed.

Safety

At the beginning of all appointments at Feet First Clinic, the chiropodist will thoroughly cleanse and disinfect your feet with an alcohol solution. This solution kills all bacteria and contaminants on the feet. Before any surgical procedure, the area of interest is cleansed with Betadine solution.

When performing the above procedures, the chiropodist will numb the affected area with a local anesthetic to ensure you won’t feel any pain.  

All procedures are performed with medical grade steel instruments, which are sterilized for each client.  At our foot clinic, we follow an intense sterilization process and safety protocols in compliance with Health Canada regulations to ensure our instruments are clean and contaminant-free.  The sterilization process effectively kills all microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, and spores.  Our foot clinic uses a steam sterilization process for all our tools and instruments, which is the gold-standard for sterilization.  

Our care continues after the surgery as well: after your surgical appointment, we will provide you with instructions for at-home care, and schedule an appointment for post-operative follow-up.  At your follow-up appointment, the chiropodist will ensure everything is properly healed, that the underlying issue is addressed, and that there are no adverse effects. There is no additional cost for the post-operative follow-up appointment.

Conditions Treated

The surgical procedures performed by our foot specialists can treat the following conditions:

Process

If you’re having an issue causing you concern, pain or discomfort, you can contact our office at 416-769-3338 to book an assessment with one of our chiropodists.  You can also use our online booking form.

At your assessment, the chiropodist will examine the affected area and determine the best course of treatment.  Typically, non-surgical, less invasive treatment will be attempted before exploring surgical options.

Should your condition require surgery, the chiropodist will walk you through the surgical procedure and a separate appointment for the surgery will be booked.  After the surgery, the chiropodist will go over post-operative care, and we will provide you with a handout to take home.

We then will book an appointment for follow-up to make sure you are doing well and that there are no further complications or issues.  The post-operative follow-up appointment is free of charge.  At your follow-up appointment, the chiropodist will assess the operated area to see if the issue is resolved, or requires further treatment.

Insurance Coverage

OHIP does not cover surgical procedures performed by a chiropodist; however most private extended health benefits plans will cover them in full or in part.  Each insurance company has their own stipulations about what and how much they will cover.

If you are unsure about your benefits and coverage for chiropodist services, the most accurate and sure-proof way to check your coverage is to check directly with your insurance company. You can do this by checking your online benefits portal, the policy breakdown with your benefits information package, or inquiring with your employer’s HR department to receive a breakdown of your policy.

We strongly recommend that you contact your insurance company directly to verify your coverage prior to your procedure. 

The post-operative follow-up appointment is free of charge.

Related Conditions for Surgical Procedures

Ingrown Toenail
Plantar Wart
See all >

Related Conditions for Surgical Procedures

Ingrown Toenail
Plantar Wart
See all >

Related Blog Articles

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Our simple to use, online booking process makes it easy to book an appointment with a chiropodist for any of our services. No referral needed!

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Emily

Administrative Assistant

Emily is the newest addition to the Feet First family. She assists with the clinic’s accounting and finances, as well as all the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the clinic running smoothly. In addition to her accounting smarts, she brings sunshine and positivity to everyone at Feet First Clinic.

Erica Halpern

Marketing and Administrative Assistant (She/Her)

Part of our administrative support staff, Erica also works behind the scenes writing and editing content for our website and blog. She loves researching and writing educational content to help patients and anyone dealing with pain. When she’s not busy in the clinic, you’ll find her at her local gym, exploring underground music, hiking with friends, or cheering on her favourite sports teams (Go Jays!). She also loves huskies!

Sophie Rudahigan

Clinic Administrator (She/Her)
Sophie prides herself on providing top-tier customer service. She is here to ensure a smooth visit for all clients. In addition to overseeing the clinic’s administration and day-to-day operations, she maintains the cosmetic appearance of the store. She is the magic behind our elaborate display case designs and also ensures the clinic is stocked with stylish (but still orthopedic!) footwear options for all ages.

Bianca Carter

CEO (She/Her)

Day in and out, Bianca works hard to ensure Feet First Clinic runs smoothly. Customer service is at the top of her list and she treats every customer like family. Bianca has a passion for fitness and is dedicated to helping people take care of their feet and body. There is no problem that she can’t solve and she believes that where there is a will, there’s a way.

Carolina Charles

Patient Relation Coordinator (She/Her)

If you’ve been to the clinic before, chances are you had the pleasure of meeting Carolina! Carolina’s daily goal is going above and beyond to make sure patients are always completely satisfied. Having worked in the podiatry industry for 22 years, Carolina brings a wealth of knowledge pertaining to client service, insurance policies, and procedures.​ She steers the ship to make sure everything runs smoothly on the daily. Carolina is known for spicing up every outfit with her signature costume jewellery.