Bunion Surgery complications happen. However, bunion surgery complications rarely happen. Complications should not stop you from having the bunion surgery. But to ease your mind, I have decided to list the five most common bunion surgery complications, their signs and their treatments.
5. Hallux Varus– This is a rare complication that results from overcorrection of a bunion deformity.
Signs- Generally, the sign is the entire big toe being straight but angling towards the center. Here is a picture of what Hallux Varus looks like:
http://www.mdmercy.com/footandankle/conditions/bigtoe/hallux_varus.html
There are two treatments for Hallux Varus; one involves using bunion splints such as these to hold the hallux in the corrected position:
The other is to have surgery to straighten the toe again. Generally this surgery involves a fusion of the joint to keep it straight. This is a very rare complication and is reducing in frequency as better trained surgeons enter the marketplace.
4. Non Union/ Delayed Union– With most bunion surgeries a cut is made in the bone to move the bone over. This cut is then secured with a screw, plate or K wire. If the cut does not heal in the alloted time it is either a delayed union (takes a long time for the bone cut to heal) or a non union (Bone Cut never heals). This complication is extremely rare in minor bunion corrections such as Austin Bunionectomies. They are almost unheard of. However, if you are having a severe bunion corrected, this complication can become more common.
Signs- The signs are persistent swelling over where the bone cut was made and loosening of the hardware, such as screws or plates that were placed across the bone cut site. A typical sign of a non union or delayed union is a screw or plate breaking because the bone cut does not heal. Sometimes the screw will just break in half. This can only be diagnosed via X ray, Bone scan or CT scan.
Treatments include a bone stimulator and casting for longer periods of times. Bone stimulators are not bulky as they used to be and most insurances will cover them. Here is an example of a Bone Stimulator:
The other treatment is surgery, which will involve bone grafts and a refixation of the surgical site. So, yes another month at least off your foot.
3. Not having full motion of the Big Toe joint after surgery. This is termed Hallux Limitus and is a common complication. This is generally caused by scar tissue, or just arthritic breakdown from a joint traumatized by surgery.
Signs: The signs for this can appear as much as five years after the surgery. They include swelling in the joint area, reduced motion of the big toe joint, and pain when moving the Big Toe Joint.
Treatments include Physical Therapy and further treatments that are discussed here:
Five Best Treatments for Hallux Rigidus, Hallux Limitus, or Big Toe Arthritis
2. Infection– This is the most feared complication. Infection is rare in bunion surgeries and rarer in minor to moderate bunion surgeries. Most bunion surgeries stay confined to the skin and clear up with oral antibiotics.
Signs: Redness, swelling and pain around the incision site shortly after the surgery. In severe infections: Odor, or smelly discolored drainage from the incision site.
Treatments: Oral Antibiotics or antibiotic ointment to the incision. In rare cases there requires surgery to drain out the infection and in even rarer cases it will result in amputation. If you are healthy, do not decide not to have bunion surgery because you are afraid of infection that will cause you to lose your toe. It will not happen, trust me.
1. The Bunion comes back– This is the most common complication following bunion surgery, but the complication patients are least worried about. Occasionally bunions come back. There is no way to predict that it will happen. Sometimes it is the bunion surgeon’s fault; sometimes it is nobody’s fault, it just happens. The treatment for a reoccuring bunion surgery is either another bunion surgery or wearing a bunion splint.