Surgical CARE
Some bunions have progressed enough to
require surgery. Thanks to the endless hours of research
your doctors have dedicated to the advancement of surgical
care and equipment, bunion procedures can be performed
with minimal disability for the patient.
These surgical procedures fall into four
general categories as listed below. To see before and after
results of patients who have had these procuders, click
on any one of the pictures below. (Warning: Some
of the pictures are pretty graphic.)
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Soft
Tissue Procedures
These procedures re-align the soft tissue structures
that surround the great toe joint in order to bring
the great toe into better position and remove the enlargement
that is known as the bunion. You can walk immediately
after surgery using a surgical shoe, able to return
to a running-type shoe within two weeks and return
to all activities within one month.
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Metatarsal
Head Osteotmies
These procedures
usually employ some form of soft tissue
re-balancing along with cutting the metatarsal head in order
to re-align the great toe joint. You can usually walk immediately after surgery
using a special surgical boot and be able to return to a running-type shoe within
three weeks. The bone cut does not heal for at least six weeks so certain activities
will be restricted for several months following surgery. |
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Metatarsal
Shaft
& Base Osteotomies
These are the most complex
bunion surgery procedures performed on the more
advanced bunion deformities.
It involves cutting the metatarsal shaft or base to bring it closer to the second
metatarsal. Following the surgery,
in many cases you will need to use crutches to ambulate in which no weight can
be placed on the ball of your foot for approximately four to seven weeks. You
can usually return
to regular shoes in seven to eight weeks and to regular activities in two to
three months. |
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Joint
Destructive Procedures
These are procedures that
are used when the great toe joint has become too arthritic
for any of the above mentioned procedures. The great
toe joint is either completely removed, replaced
with an artificial joint or is fused
so no motion
can occur. These procedures allow you to walk on the foot immediately after
surgery usually in a special shoe. If the great toe joint is fused then you would
need to wear this special shoe for at least six weeks.
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