Types of bunion surgery

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Types of bunion surgery

There are over 100 surgeries described for bunions. Research does not indicate which type of surgery is best—surgery needs to be specific to your condition. More than one procedure may be done at the same time.

The general types of bunion surgery include:

Removal of part of the metatarsal head (the part of the foot that is bulging out). This procedure is called exostectomy or bunionectomy.
Realignment of the soft tissues (ligaments) around the big toe joint.
Removal of a small wedge of bone from the foot (metatarsal osteotomy) or from the toe (phalangeal osteotomy) and moving the bones into a more normal position.
Removal of bone from the end of the first metatarsal bone, which joins with the base of the big toe (metatarsophalangeal joint). At the metatarsophalangeal joint, both the big toe and metatarsal bones are reshaped (resection arthroplasty).
Fusion (arthrodesis) of the big toe joint.
Fusion of the joint where the metatarsal bone joins the mid-foot (Lapidus procedure).
Implant insertion of all or part of an artificial joint.

Credits

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Author	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
Primary Medical Reviewer	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Gavin W.G. Chalmers, DPM - Podiatry and Podiatric Surgery
Last Updated	March 6, 2008

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Last updated:	March 06, 2008
Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Gavin W.G. Chalmers, DPM - Podiatry and Podiatric Surgery
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC

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