Talaria Podiatrist of Thornbury is proud to welcome Dr Omar Baarini to our clinic. Dr Baarini is a highly skilled and experienced Podiatric Surgeon who will now be consulting from our rooms. Podiatric Surgeons are unique, dedicating themselves to research, investigation and mastery of surgical therapeutics of the foot and ankle, exclusively. We sat down with Dr Baarini to demystify the profession and shed light on the procedures he specialises in.
Firstly, what is Podiatric Surgery?
Podiatric surgery is the assessment and management of lower limb disorders, particularly of the foot and ankle, this may include surgical and non- surgical management.
What brought you to the profession?
I’ve always had a keen interest in lower limb anatomy. Particularly when I was a child, I was hit by a motor vehicle and ended up in hospital for about three months. I had five reconstructive procedures done, so I’ve always had this interest in the foot and ankle given my previous history.
What is your main aim and goal as a Practitioner?
One of the main reasons, and- (leading back to the previous question) is obviously helping people achieve what they want to achieve, in terms of their outcomes and their health. One of the other reasons why I came into Podiatric Surgery was to look at doing charity work, which I have already done and will continue to do. So, it’s not about just self-fulfilment it’s also about being able to help others.
How do I know if Surgery is right for me?
The best advice is to come in and get our opinion from the assessments that are required to determine whether the surgery is the best solution for you. Quite often surgery is not the best solution for patients, so we always try to exhaust the non- surgical options prior to taking the patient to the operating room.
Are there other options available aside from Surgery?
Absolutely. There are a plethora that can be explored and they are often always explored prior to the surgeries that is the last option.
Do I have to see a podiatrist or my GP prior to a Podiatric Surgeon?
No because we work purely in the private sector, patient direct referral, self-referral is fine. However, we do prefer that a referral is received if you are seeing another clinician.