bunion surgery – Dr. Nicholas Campitelli

EA0B0A89-3BFE-47F8-A8CE-C1181334DB67-scaled.jpeg?fit=1200%2C849&ssl=1

Do all bunions require surgery? Not really. The point that I make to all of my patients is to consider fixing it when it’s painful. I do stress, however, that bunions are STRUCTURAL, deformities and will not improve without surgery. Toe spacers, bunion splints, and other contraptions to realign the toe will only work while the patient is wearing them. As soon as it is removed, the deformity will go back to an abnormal position.

A bunion is actually a dislocation of the great toe joint cause the head of the metatarsal to become prominent on the side of the foot. So, it’s basically the “knuckle” (as my patients say!) popping out of the side of the foot. Fixing it involves realigning the joint which in turn straightens the toe and reduces the prominent bump.

The sooner the deformity is fixed, the less likely one is to cause more damage to the cartilage of the joint. If one waits too long, the damage to the cartilage will make it difficult to get a good surgical result because there will be “bone on bone” in the great toe joint which limits motion and causes pain i.e. arthritis.

I’m excited to now offer Minimally invasive bunion surgery to our patients which greatly reduces recovery time and is a better option for many patients. It has allowed me to offer bunion surgery to patients who I normally wouldn’t have considered surgery on.

Depending on the procedure performed to correct the deformity, recovery from bunion surgery can take anywhere from 3-6 weeks to 6-8 weeks to recover from. The recovery period is really dependent upon what the patients expectations are or their activity level after surgery. It is important to remember the surgery involves cutting bone to realign a deformed joint and it takes bone 6-8 weeks to repair itself. Your foot will be swollen for several months after surgery but again this is dependent on the activity level as well as the procedure that is needed to fix the deformity. Click here to see before and after images of bunion surgery.

Screen-Shot-2019-07-25-at-7.32.21-AM.png?fit=1200%2C723&ssl=1

A bunion is a dislocated big toe joint that results in the head of the metatarsal becoming prominent appearing as bump on inside of the big toe.

While shoes and activity can aggravate a bunion, the cause is mostly genetic. So if your mom or dad had a bunion that’s most likely where yours came from.

Initial treatment consists of wearing wider shoes to help reduce pressure on the bump and toe spacers to realign the big toe while walking. Bunion splints can realign the toe while wearing it but the joint will return to it’s dislocated state when the splint is removed. A splint can NOT fix a bunion.

The only way to reduce a bunion deformity is through surgical correction. This involves cutting the metatarsal bone to realign the joint which reduces the bump. Depending on the type of procedure performed the recovery period can be 3-6 weeks or 6-9 weeks.

bunion-surgery-campitelli-akron-ohio.png?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1

Having bunion surgery will generally not produce a scar that will be visible if you are concerned about the appearance of your foot. While many women may be concerned about the appearance of their foot after bunion surgery, a scar is usually not reason enough to avoid having bunion surgery.

How soon can you shower or take a bath after having bunion surgery? The average time it takes for a foot incision to heal can be anywhere from 7 to 21 days. We have, however, improved all aspects of bunion surgery in my practice -especially the recover phase.

I wouldn't let someone talk you into foot surgery in their office as most surgical procedures are now being performed in outpatient surgery centers. With that being said, there are some simple minimally invasive procedures which can resolve a painful contracted or dislocated toe. I have performed an overwhelming majority of these types of procedures in my office providing relief to patients who have suffered many years with toe pain but didn't want the long recovery periods that many orthopedic surgeons offer which require outdated use of complicated external pins.

I have corrected bunions on all ages ranging from 14 year olds up to almost 90 year old patients. As long as the patient is healthy and has no health conditions that would prevent a risk for undergoing surgery or for recovery, then age is really not a factor.

A bunion is nothing more than a dislocation of the great toe joint. As this happens, the joint articulates in an abnormal manner which eventually results in eroding of the joint cartilage- otherwise known as “bone on bone”.

It’s never too late to fix your bunion. Too often patients will present with a severe bunion deformity asking for possible options to reduce the pain so they can be more functional and do the activities they would like to do, but will not consider surgery. Sometimes they think they are simply “just too old“. This is not true.

If the patient a is healthy enough to undergo anesthesia and has no serious medical conditions that would put them at risk, then even patients who are in their 80s can have corrective surgery to fix their bunion.

Here are two examples of patients who were in their 80’s and had undergone what is known as a Keller procedure to fix their deformity.

The surgery is out-patient and takes roughly 45 in a hospital or surgery center and the patient can bear weight in the foot in a walking boot the same day. The foot is kept in bandages which are changed weekly for 3 weeks. During this period the patient will keep a surgical shoe or walking boot on. By 4-6 weeks an athletic or casual shoe Can be worn.

So how do you know if you need to fix your bunion? If it’s preventing you from doing the things in life you want to do and enjoy doing, then it’s certainly an option.

The Foot Doc Blog – Leading Blog on foot and ankle pain

Do Bunions Require Surgery?

How long does it take to recover from bunion surgery?

How to treat bunions

Will I have a scar after bunion surgery?

When can I get my foot wet after bunion surgery?

In office surgery for Bunions?

Surgery for a bunion: How old is too old?

One reason not to delay having bunion surgery.

Bunion Surgery in 84 year old

9318 ST RT 43, Streetsboro, OH

2660 West Market Street, Fairlawn, OH

Recent Posts

What is tarsal tunnel syndrome

Where does gout occur??

What are the those black dots on a plantar wart?

Do Bunions Require Surgery?

What’s this “bump” on top of my big toe?

How do you treat a plantar wart?