Fix Your Bunion with Surgery

Medical professionals—in our field of podiatry and otherwise—prefer to use conservative treatment options whenever possible. The good news about this is the fact we have many nonsurgical methods that may take away the symptoms and resolve certain problems you are experiencing.

At Wisconsin Foot Center, our goal is always to resolve your foot or ankle issues with nonsurgical treatment whenever possible. Now, we certainly perform many successful foot surgeries for our patients (when necessary), but our preference is to reserve that as a final option in cases where conservative care is simply not enough.

When it comes to bunions, there are certainly conservative methods that may be able to address the symptoms caused by these common toe deformities. The only way to truly correct the problem, though, is through bunion surgery (bunionectomy).

As we look at the various surgical procedures for bunions, it’s important to note that the most likely candidates are patients who suffer from intense pain and/or have restricted mobility. If a bunion is mild and not causing major difficulties, we will prescribe conservative treatment.

For patients who experience severe pain and restricted mobility, we may recommend bunion surgery procedures like:

• Osteotomy – This surgery entails small cuts being made into bones to help realign the joint into its natural position. Plates, pins, or screws may be used to fix the cut bone and keep everything in place.
• Exostectomy – This procedure is rarely used alone, but it is centered on removing the bump from the big toe’s MTP joint. Most often, it exostectomy is performed in conjunction with osteotomy.
• Arthrodesis – For patients who also have severe arthritis—possibly even caused by the bunion—we may recommend arthrodesis to remove arthritic joint surfaces. As with osteotomy, plates, pins, and screws can help to hold surfaces together while the affected bones mend. We also sometimes use arthrodesis in cases where previous bunion surgery has been unsuccessful.

Other procedures may be used to repair the ligaments and tendons surrounding the big toe (to correct any imbalances in the affected joint) and resection arthroplasty (which is removal of the damaged part of the joint).

As noted, our hope is that conservative bunion care will sufficiently address any symptoms you have, but you can have peace of mind in knowing that we are highly-skilled and experienced in performing bunion surgeries.

If you or a loved one is suffering from pain caused by a bunion, come see us here at Wisconsin Foot Center. We will assess the condition and then create a treatment plan to address the problem for you. When you are ready to find the relief you need, simply give us a call at (414) 425-8400. Our staff will be happy to answer any questions and help you schedule your appointment.