When to have bunion surgery?

A bunion is a bony protrusion that forms on the outside of the foot, just in front of where the big toe joins. It can be uncomfortable and painful when it rubs against shoes or socks, or when standing for long periods of time. Most people have bunions that do not cause them any problems, but if yours causes pain, bunion surgery can help eliminate the discomfort for good.

Most people who suffer from bunions (hallux valgus), only consider bunion surgery when they have great localized pain in the bony protrusion or “bump” that is generated by the deformity, which also causes problems with the use of footwear.

What associated symptoms can arise if you have bunions?

These symptoms are accompanied by other problems that may arise such as claw to e or hammer toe, metatarsalgia or plantar pain, as well as other problems resulting from improper foot support. In these cases, bunion surgery can be a real solution.

There are different surgical techniques to correct bunions and it depends on the degree of deformity, the general health of the patient and other factors. The surgeon will decide what is best for you.

Bunion surgery usually lasts between 45 minutes and an hour and a half. Bunion surgery is performed under local anesthesia.

In most cases, bunion surgery can be performed through a few millimeters incision made in the back of the foot or a small cut in the skin just above the bony bump that gives this problem its name.

When the front part of the foot or forefoot presents deformities in the to es together with hallux valgus, this must be operated together with the rest of the deformities, since it is the first metatarsal of the foot that maintains the alignment of the other toes, thus preventing them from suffering deformities. If only the deformities of the toes are operated on without correcting the bunion, it will be a matter of time before the toes are deformed again because of the bunion.

Perhaps for fear of thinking that having to do surgery on the foot is something that will cause pain but in the San Roman Clinic we use the so-called minimally invasive surgery. This implies that bunion surgery is performed only through small incisions with the use of very fine instruments.

This will allow you to return home the same day, being able to walk normally without pain or discomfort and recover quickly in a short period of time.

Contact us to evaluate the best solution for bunions.

To provide a real solution to the problem of bunions, it is not only necessary to remove the bony protrusion or “bump”, since the deformity of the foot is caused by the deviation of the first metatarsal. To solve the problem of hallux valgus or bunion, an osteotomy must be performed, in which a cut is made in the first phalanx and the metatarsal when necessary through minimally invasive or percutaneous surgery for proper alignment, and thus eliminate the bony protrusion.

Since the surgery is minimally invasive, recovery is much faster and without the need for hospitalization, and the postoperative period is comfortable, without immobilization and with minimal discomfort.

Therefore, correcting this problem with minimally invasive or percutaneous foot surgery offers progress in the quality of life of patients, avoiding discomfort and with a faster recovery.

Bunion surgery is one of the most common foot surgeries. Bunion surgery can be performed as an outpatient procedure, which means you can go home the same day. The recovery time for a bunionectomy is usually four to six weeks.