Bunion Progression

Bunions start out small — but they usually get worse over time (especially if the individual continues to wear tight, narrow shoes). Because the metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP) joint flexes with every step, the bigger the bunion gets, the more painful and difficult walking can become.

An advanced bunion can greatly alter the appearance of the foot. In severe bunions, the big toe may angle all the way under or over the second toe. Pressure from the big toe may force the second toe out of alignment, causing it to come in contact with the third toe. Calluses may develop where the toes rub against each other, causing additional discomfort and difficulty walking.

Symptoms of a Bunion

In addition to the visible bump on the inside of the foot, symptoms of a bunion may include:

• Pain and tenderness
• Redness and inflammation
• Hardened skin on the bottom of the foot
• A callus or corn on the bump
• Stiffness and restricted motion in the big toe, which may lead to difficulty in walking

This patient had a mild bunion where only the 'bump' or prominent portion of the first metatarsal head was hurting in her high heels.  Although you could consider this a cosmetic foot surgery, we consider all of our bunion (or hallux valgus) surgeries both for structural (straightening the joint and reducing the size) and cosmetic (sculpting the inside portion and keeping a natural curvature to fit in shoes) outcomes.

Additionally the foot surgery techniques and equipment continue to advance to where these patients have less post-operative pain and are able to go back into shoes as early as 4 weeks.  We used a non metallic pin (biologic bone material - TenFUSE) to fix the osteotomy (or surgical fracture) and stabilize the correction after it was shifted to a more normal position.

Surgical Correction of Bunion

The procedure is performed in a local out-patient surgical facility. The recovery is shorter than in the past, and health insurance usually covers this type of surgery.

In general, the common goals of most bunion surgeries include:

• Realigning the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint at the base of the big toe
• Relieving pain
• Correcting the deformity of the bones making up the toe and foot

Because bunions vary in shape and size, there are different surgical procedures performed to correct them. In most cases, bunion surgery includes correcting the alignment of the bone and repairing the soft tissues around the big toe.

Your doctor will talk with you about the type of surgery that will best correct your bunion.

Specialized Technology:

Tayton uses the latest technologies. The bone needs to be moved, and in order to secure it in a new position, many surgeons would use metal plates and screws. By contrast our procedure calls for natural cortical bone pins, that are completely absorbed by the body, and will never need to be removed.

Also, our surgeons will complete the procedure with a difficult closure where the sutures are underneath the skin - subcutaneous stitches will minimize scarring.