A bunion is a bony prominence where your big toe meets the metatarsal bone.
Over time, the bone can become enlarged resulting in pain.
Common symptoms you may feel include tenderness and redness.
Sometimes the pain can become so severe that you can’t walk properly or even put on your shoes. When all non-invasive treatments have been exhausted, your podiatrist may recommend bunion surgery.
Interestingly enough, there are well over a hundred different types of surgeries for bunions! There’s no single type of bunion surgery that has ever been rated best.
After careful clinical and radiologic evaluation, your doctor will choose the procedure that will best correct your particular condition. Sometimes more than one procedure will be done during the surgery.
While complete pain relief may not be achieved by having bunion surgery, more often than not the surgery greatly helps with the problem, particularly being able to get your feet back into a shoe.
Procedure
Typically, bunion surgery begins as the surgeon makes an incision on the top or side of your big toe joint. He or she will then remove or realign the soft tissue and bone. The goal of bunion surgery is to restore normal alignment to your joint and to reduce pain. With more advanced deformities, your surgeon may use screws or wires to hold the bone in place.
Types of bunion surgery include:
- Simple bunionectomy: During this surgery, the prominent bone is removed.
- Osteotomy: In an osteotomy, the surgeon will cut your bone, realign it to the corrected position, and secure the bone with either a screw, wire, or a plate with screws.
- Resection Arthroplasty: During this surgery, the prominent bone is removed in conjunction with removal of the base of the big toe.
- Soft tissue realignment.
- Fusion procedure: During the surgery, the big toe joint is fused therefore correcting the deformity and eliminating any pain associated with the joint.
- Lapidus procedure: During this surgery, the surgeon will fuse the joint where the metatarsal bone attaches to a section of the mid-foot.
- Opening wedge osteotomy: During this surgery, the metatarsal bone is cut and shifted and fixed with a plate and screws.
- Joint implant: During this surgery, the surgeon with replace the painful joint.
Recovery Time
Recovery from bunion surgery can last anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months and this time is determined by the procedure performed. For more simple procedures the recovery is shorter, while more involved procedures that require cutting of bone and/or joint fusion generally have a longer recovery.
During recovery, your foot with be in a dressing that will need to remain dry and covered when you bathe or shower. External stitches are usually removed within 14 days, while deeper stitches absorb on their own.
With simpler procedures, walking can begin within days of surgery, yet more involved procedures can requires 6 weeks of non-weight bearing with a cast and crutches or a roll about device.
With simpler procedures it generally takes 6 to 8 weeks to be able to resume normal activities, while more involved procedures can take 3-6 months to return to normal activities.
Cost
The cost of your bunion surgery will depend on your health insurance coverage. The total amount of your surgery or just a fraction of it may be covered. All of your costs will depend on your insurance carrier and the type of plan that you have. Here at the Timonium Foot and Ankle Center, we are happy to check your benefits for you to let you know the entire cost up front.
Before And After Pictures Courtesy of Jordan R. Stewart, DPM
Bunion Consultation
If you are suffering from a painful bunion, you do have options.
Schedule a bunion consultation with Dr. Stewart at the Timonium Foot and Ankle Center to have your bunion(s) evaluated and discover your options for treatment.
Dr. Stewart always recommends the least invasive options first and only resorts to surgery as a last option.
See what a few of his patients had to say after their bunion surgeries:
“I listened to Dr. Stewart and took my recovery at a slow pace. He would gradually allow me to add on to my activities. Exactly 4 months, after my surgery, I completed a 100 mile bicycle ride….PAIN FREE!” – Eley Welkner
“I suffered from a painful bunion deformity for at least five years. My pain continued and I decided to undergo bunion surgery by Dr. Stewart. He guided me through my recovery and I’m happy to say that I am 100% pain-free.” – Michael Thompson
Give us a call today at 410-560-2777 or fill out the short form on the top right of this page to schedule your bunion consultation with Dr. Stewart.