Eliza Tran Vien, D.P.M.
Eliza Tran Vien, DPM
Board-Qualified Foot & Ankle Surgeon
DPM · ABFAS® Board-Qualified · San Jose & Los Gatos
Born and raised in San Jose, Dr. Vien is proud to serve the community she grew up in — providing expert, compassionate, and personalized foot and ankle care in the South Bay.
Eliza Tran Vien, DPM
ABFAS® Board-Qualified — Foot Surgery & Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery California School of Podiatric Medicine · DVA Palo Alto · Stanford Medicine · Kaiser Permanente San Jose · Born & Raised in San Jose · PPO & Medicare AcceptedAbout Eliza Tran Vien, DPM
Eliza Tran Vien is a board-qualified foot and ankle surgeon practicing in the South Bay with expertise in the latest surgical techniques, sports medicine, and limb salvage. She earned her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from the California School of Podiatric Medicine in Oakland. Following graduation, Dr. Vien completed her surgical residency training at the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Palo Alto Health Care System, Stanford Medicine Health Care, and Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center — three of the most respected clinical institutions in the Bay Area.
Dr. Vien is ABFAS® board-qualified in both foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery through the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, ensuring her patients receive the highest standard of care for their foot and ankle concerns.
Dr. Vien accepts most PPO insurance plans and Medicare. Our billing team will verify your coverage before your appointment. Contact our office for details about your specific plan.
Born & Raised in San Jose — Serving the Community She Calls Home
Dr. Vien’s roots in San Jose are not incidental to her practice — they are central to who she is as a physician. Born and raised in San Jose, she is proud to serve the community she grew up in, and she brings to her practice a genuine, personal commitment to the patients and families she treats — not as an outsider providing care, but as a neighbor, a community member, and a physician who understands the South Bay in ways that go beyond clinical training.
Dr. Vien is committed to providing compassionate, personalized care to each patient. She understands that a foot or ankle problem is never just a mechanical issue — it affects how patients work, play, care for their families, and move through their daily lives. Her approach is to treat the whole person, not just the condition.
Specialties & Services
Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery
Bunion correction through very small incisions — 3 to 5mm — with specialized instruments guided by fluoroscopic imaging. Significantly less soft tissue trauma, reduced post-operative pain, minimal scarring, and faster return to normal footwear compared to traditional open bunionectomy.
Reconstructive Rearfoot & Ankle Surgery
ABFAS® board-qualified in reconstructive rearfoot and ankle surgery — covering complex deformity correction, ankle reconstruction, flatfoot surgery, Achilles tendon repair, and surgical management of arthritic and post-traumatic ankle conditions.
Sports Medicine
Comprehensive management of foot and ankle sports injuries — ankle sprains, tendon injuries, stress fractures, and overuse conditions — with a focus on rapid, safe return to sport and long-term injury prevention strategies.
Limb Salvage
Expert management of complex diabetic foot complications, non-healing wounds, and conditions at risk of amputation. Dr. Vien applies the latest limb salvage techniques to preserve the limb and restore function in high-risk patients.
General Foot & Ankle Surgery
Full spectrum of foot and ankle surgical procedures including hammertoe correction, ingrown toenail removal, plantar fascia surgery, tendon repairs, fracture fixation, and soft tissue procedures using the latest surgical techniques.
Conservative & Non-Surgical Care
Comprehensive non-surgical management including custom orthotics, corticosteroid injections, physical therapy guidance, footwear counseling, and medical management of chronic foot and ankle conditions before surgery is considered.
Conditions Treated
Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery
Bunions — the progressive, painful bony prominence at the base of the big toe — are one of the most common conditions Dr. Vien treats. Rather than relying solely on traditional open bunionectomy, Dr. Vien offers minimally invasive bunion surgery (MIS bunionectomy) — a modern approach that corrects the deformity through very small incisions with less disruption to the surrounding tissue.
What Is Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery?
Minimally invasive bunion surgery corrects the bunion deformity through incisions of just 3 to 5 millimeters, using specialized instruments guided by real-time fluoroscopic (X-ray) imaging. Rather than making a large cut to directly expose the bone, the surgeon works through these tiny portals to precisely cut and reposition the metatarsal bone from within — achieving the same anatomical correction with significantly less soft tissue trauma.
Not every bunion is best treated with a minimally invasive approach — the optimal procedure depends on the severity of the deformity, the degree of joint instability, and the patient’s anatomy and activity goals. Dr. Vien performs a thorough evaluation including weight-bearing X-rays and a detailed discussion of all available options before recommending a surgical approach. She will always choose the technique most likely to produce the best long-term outcome for your specific bunion — not just the procedure that is technically newest.
Sports Medicine
The foot and ankle are the foundation of virtually every athletic movement — and when they are injured, the consequences extend far beyond the joint itself. Dr. Vien’s expertise in sports medicine is built on both her surgical training and her understanding of the specific demands that sport and physical activity place on the lower extremity. Her goal is always to get athletes — whether competitive or recreational — back to their sport as quickly and safely as possible, with a plan to prevent recurrence.
Dr. Vien’s residency at the DVA Palo Alto Health Care System and Stanford Medicine Health Care exposed her to a high volume and wide variety of complex foot and ankle cases — including trauma, reconstruction, and conditions requiring the highest levels of surgical precision and clinical judgment. This training background directly informs her sports medicine practice: the ability to accurately diagnose, surgically address when needed, and plan a structured rehabilitation protocol for each patient.
Limb Salvage
Limb salvage — preserving a limb that would otherwise require amputation — is one of the most consequential aspects of Dr. Vien’s practice. She brings to this work not only her surgical training but the deep awareness of what amputation means to a patient’s independence, mobility, and quality of life. Every limb saved is a life meaningfully changed.
Dr. Vien applies the latest techniques in wound management, surgical debridement, biological grafting, and reconstructive surgery to manage complex diabetic foot complications, non-healing ulcers, and severely infected wounds that place the limb at risk. She works within a multidisciplinary framework — coordinating with vascular surgeons, infectious disease specialists, endocrinologists, and wound care nurses to address every factor affecting wound healing simultaneously.
Education & Residency Training
Dr. Vien is ABFAS® board-qualified in both foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery through the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery — the gold standard credentialing body for podiatric surgery in the United States. Board qualification ensures that Dr. Vien has met rigorous standards in surgical training, case volume, and clinical competency, and reflects her commitment to delivering the highest standard of surgical care to every patient.
When she is not in clinic or the operating room, Dr. Vien enjoys hiking, spending time with her tricolor Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and indulging in her passion for coffee and tea — especially matcha. These personal pursuits reflect the same balance she brings to her practice: grounded, attentive, and deeply committed to quality in everything she does.
See Dr. Vien at Two South Bay Locations
Serving the San Jose and Los Gatos communities. PPO insurance and Medicare accepted. Same-week appointments frequently available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Vien specializes in minimally invasive bunion surgery, reconstructive rearfoot and ankle surgery, sports medicine, and limb salvage. She is ABFAS® board-qualified in both foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery, and trained at the DVA Palo Alto Health Care System, Stanford Medicine, and Kaiser Permanente San Jose.
Minimally invasive bunion surgery corrects the bunion deformity through very small incisions of just 3 to 5mm — compared to the 4 to 6 centimeter incision used in traditional open bunionectomy. Using specialized instruments under real-time fluoroscopic guidance, Dr. Vien precisely repositions the metatarsal bone with significantly less soft tissue trauma, reduced post-operative swelling and pain, minimal scarring, and faster return to comfortable footwear. Not every bunion is ideally suited to this approach — Dr. Vien will assess your specific anatomy and recommend the technique most likely to produce the best long-term outcome.
Dr. Vien earned her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from the California School of Podiatric Medicine in Oakland. She completed her surgical residency at three prestigious Bay Area institutions: the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Palo Alto Health Care System, Stanford Medicine Health Care, and Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center. This multi-site training gave her exposure to an exceptionally wide variety of complex foot and ankle conditions and surgical techniques.
Dr. Vien is ABFAS® board-qualified in both foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery through the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery — the premier credentialing body for podiatric surgery in the United States. Board qualification reflects rigorous standards in surgical training, case volume, and clinical competency.
Yes. Dr. Vien accepts most PPO insurance plans and Medicare. Our billing team verifies your coverage before your appointment. Please contact our office for information about your specific plan.
Yes. Dr. Vien was born and raised in San Jose and is proud to serve the community she grew up in. This personal connection to the South Bay gives her a genuine commitment to her patients that goes beyond clinical training. She completed part of her residency at Kaiser Permanente San Jose — caring for South Bay patients even before she joined the Foot and Ankle Medical Group — and now brings that experience back to the community she calls home.
About This Profile: This physician profile is provided for informational purposes. It does not constitute medical advice. For questions about specific conditions or treatments, please schedule a consultation at our San Jose or Los Gatos office.