Mount Sinai Surgeon Develops “Keyhole” Foot Fusion Technique That Allows Immediate Weightbearing — A Milestone in Midfoot Arthritis Recovery

MIAMI BEACH, FL – October 28, 2025 – A newly published study in Foot and Ankle Surgery by Ettore Vulcano, MD, Chairman of Orthopedic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center, describes a first-of-its-kind, minimally invasive foot-fusion technique that allows patients to walk immediately after surgery—a milestone for recovery and outcomes in midfoot arthritis.

The paper, “Minimally Invasive Percutaneous Tarsometatarsal Fusion with Bone Autograft, Non-Compression Screws, and Immediate Postoperative Weightbearing,” reports outcomes from 38 patients and 86 joints, achieving a 94 percent bone-fusion rate, zero wound complications or infections, and pain scores dropping from 7.5 to 0.2.
DOI: 10.1016/j.fas.2025.10.002

“This study validates that smaller incisions and smarter fixation aren’t just cosmetic changes—they transform recovery,” said Dr. Vulcano. “Patients can walk the same day, experience less pain, and avoid the wound complications that used to keep them sidelined for weeks.”

Advancing Minimally Invasive Orthopedics

Minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery has evolved rapidly since 2017, expanding from bunion repair to flatfoot realignment and arthritis correction. At Mount Sinai, Dr. Vulcano develops and evolves techniques that simplify smaller-incision procedures, making advanced care more widely available.

Mount Sinai’s orthopedic program is also incorporating AI-driven diagnostics, robotics, and advanced pain-management techniques, including delayed-release anesthetics that have dramatically reduced the need for narcotics and shortened recovery times.

“Mount Sinai is deeply invested in advancing minimally invasive, technology-driven care across all surgical specialties,” said Gino R. Santorio, President and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center. “Dr. Vulcano’s work is a clear example of how innovation, evidence, and patient-centered care come together to redefine recovery and outcomes.”

# # #

For more information or media inquiries, please contact:  

Mount Sinai Medical Center 

Phone: 305-674-2309

Email: amanda.paz@msmc.com

Avoq

Phone:  917-913-7226

Email: mmsmccomms@teamavoq.com

About Mount Sinai Medical Center   
Founded in 1949, Mount Sinai Medical Center is the largest independent, private, not-for-profit teaching hospital in South Florida. Mount Sinai’s mission is to provide quality health care to a diverse community enhanced through teaching, research, charity care, and financial responsibility. Mount Sinai’s Centers of Excellence combine technology, research, and academics to provide innovative and comprehensive care in cardiology, neuroscience, oncology, urology, and orthopedics. One of the original statutory teaching hospitals in the state of Florida, Mount Sinai is the hospital of choice for those who seek the level of expertise and care that only a teaching hospital can offer. Mount Sinai currently offers ten convenient locations in Miami-Dade County, including three emergency centers, and four specialty care offices in Monroe County.