Infection From Bunion Surgery Screws

Why Does Bunion Surgery Have Such a Bad Reputation? - herbs health ...

A bunion is one of the most common sources of foot pain, and is a common deformity not limited to age or activity. While padding, wider shoes, and inserts can be used to control the pain, only surgery will actually correct the deformity itself. While this surgery is very successful when the proper procedure is selected, it seems to suffer from a bad reputation in the general community. This article will discuss bunion surgery, how one can peoperly recover from it, and why some people needlessly have a difficult recovery period.

A bunion is a complex foot deformity involving both bone and soft tissue (ligaments, tendons). Usually inherited from one’s parents or grandparents, bunions have several underlying causes. The most common cause is flat feet. Over time, muscular changes needed to adapt to walking with flat feet will contract the great toe towards the second toe, and make prominent the 1st metatarsal head ( the bone one sees sticking out ) . This can create pain in the bunion when it is rubbed against tight shoes. Over time arthritis can develop due to the abnormal joint position, leading to joint pain. The great toe can also crowd into the lesser toes.

Treatment often includes conservative measures that either separate the big toe from the second toe next to it, place padding over the bunion bump. Wider shoes may also help relieve bump pain. Orthotics (prescription shoe inserts) may help to lessen the progression of the bunion by controlling it’s underlying cause (usually flat feet). However, the joint changes already in place cannot be reversed. In most cases, surgical correction with an alteration of the bone position and soft tissue tightness is necessary to permanently treat this condition.

Bunion surgery is one of the most common types of foot surgery performed. In the majority of cases, the bone involved in the deformity must be cut and moved over towards the central part of the foot. Simply shaving the bone ‘bump’ will not correct the deformity, as the bunion will continue to develop over time, with some patients having a return of their symptoms in as little as a few months. The bone that is cut during a bunion procedure is the 1st metatarsal, the long bone whose head creates the bunion bump at the base of the big toe. This bone is angled too far away from the 2nd metatarsal next to it, owing to a very complicated and slowly developing series of events related to one’s foot structure. The bone position must be moved back over so it is in proper angle alignment with the 2nd metatarsal (essentially parallel to it, not angled outwards). The area where the bone is cut in surgery is dependent on how big of an angle the bone creates. If the angle is generally under 14-15 degrees, a cut in the area near the head of the bone can correct the bunion. This has an advantage of being easier to heal, as it is more stable. If the angle is more than 15 degrees, a cut in the bone back at the base of the bone (near the mid-length aspect of the foot) is needed in order to fully correct the abnormal angle. This area is not as stable, and recovery usually demands non-weight bearing until the bone heals.

Textbook of bunion surgery

Complete Guide to Pain Relief

Operative Techniques in Foot and Ankle Surgery

Foot & ankle international

McGlamry's comprehensive textbook of foot and ankle surgery