When Procedure is Used

Bunions can be an inherited trait, and they can form as a result of arthritis. However, they also occur more often in women because of the types of restrictive shoes some women wear. There are ways to treat bunions without surgery (such as comfortable, well-fitted shoes; splints or pads; and pain relievers), but if these approaches don’t work, you may benefit from a bunionectomy. The cause and severity of a bunion also determines how your surgeon will treat it.

During Surgery

For most bunion surgeries, patients are given general anesthesia and usually are put to sleep for bunionectomies. Next, your surgeon will make a small incision over the bunion in order to cut away the bone and remove other tissue as necessary. If the bunion is large, the surgeon may also realign tendons and ligaments to restore them to their correct position. Your surgeon will use Kirschner wire (K-wire) after the cuts are made to re-align the toe. If your bunion was caused or worsened by arthritis, you may need to have the joint of your big toe fused as well.

Risks

The risk of complications is very low. However, potential risks might include

• allergic reactions to medications
• nerve damage
• bleeding or blood clots
• infection

Benefits

• elimination of or decrease in pain
• increased mobility of the big toe and foot
• improved alignment of the big toe
• improvement in how shoes fit