Toe Procedures

The first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint is the joint in your big toe. The first MTP joint fusion is a surgical procedure to treat arthritis of the big toe. Big toe arthritis (also known as hallux rigidus) can cause pain and swelling and lead to difficulty walking, running, and wearing shoes. Arthritis develops when the cartilage on each bone wears away and the two bones that make up the big toe joint rub against one another.

A cheilectomy is a surgical procedure that involves removal of excess bone called bone spurs from the joint at the base of the big toe. It is mainly performed to treat hallux rigidus (big toe stiffness and pain) due to arthritis. The foot and ankle are complex joints. The foot is divided into the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot. The forefoot has 1large toe called the hallux or big toe and 4 smaller toes called phalanges.

A bunionectomy is a surgical procedure to remove a bunion. A bunion, also called a hallux valgus, is an enlargement of bone or soft tissues around the joint at the base of the big toe that results in the formation of a bump. The bone that joins the big toe with the first metatarsal bone thickens and enlarges, tightening the tendons, which in turn causes the base of the big toe to angle out resulting in a painful bony deformity.

Big toe arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure in which an arthroscope - a thin telescope-like instrument with a light and video camera on the end - is inserted into the big toe to evaluate and treat a variety of conditions. The camera projects an image of the inside of the big toe onto a large monitor, allowing your surgeon to look for any damage, assess the type of injury, and repair the problem accordingly.

Lesser toe surgery is an operation to correct deformities of the lesser toes other than the big toe. Some of the common lesser toe deformities include hammer toe, claw toe, and mallet toe. Anatomically, the foot is divided into the forefoot, mid foot and hind foot. The forefoot has 4 small toes called phalanges and 1 large toe called the hallux or big toe.

Metatarsal surgery is a surgical procedure performed on the metatarsal bones, the long bones in the feet that connect to the toe bones. It is usually performed to correct a bunion deformity and is mainly done on the first metatarsal bone behind the big toe. Surgery on the second to fifth metatarsal bones is usually performed to treat callouses or ulcers at the bottom of the foot.

An ingrown toenail is a common and painful condition of the toe. It occurs when the side or corner of the nail grows inwards and penetrates the skin of the toe. Pain is often accompanied by swelling and redness. The big toe is affected most often. An ingrown toenail wedge resection or excision, also called a partial nail avulsion, is a surgical procedure to treat an ingrown toenail condition.

Toe deformity correction refers to nonsurgical and surgical measures employed in the treatment of toe deformities. Toe deformity is a condition where there is a misalignment of the toe bones. Common toe deformities include hammertoe, claw toe, and mallet toe. Toe deformities can be present at birth or can occur later in life from wearing improperly fitted shoes or high-heeled shoes.

Total toe arthroplasty, also known as total toe replacement, is a surgical procedure for the treatment of toe arthritis or severe trauma to the toe in which worn out or damaged portions of the toe joint are removed and replaced with an artificial prosthesis. The most commonly performed total toe arthroplasty is the great toe arthroplasty or metatarsophalangeal (MTP) arthroplasty.

Big toe motion preservation surgery is a procedure employed for the treatment of a stiff big toe. A stiff big toe, also called hallux rigidus, is a form of degenerative arthritis affecting the joint where the big toe (hallux) attaches to the foot. The toe typically becomes stiff at the base and is sometimes called a “frozen joint”. The big toe joint is called the hallux metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint.

Bunionette surgery is an outpatient surgical procedure that involves shaving off part of the bony lump and realigning the displaced fifth metatarsal to restore normal foot function. Bunionette surgery is indicated as a last resort when conservative measures fail to resolve the painful symptoms.

Lapiplasty is an advanced surgical method for bunion correction. This technique uses specially designed instruments to manipulate the bone in 3 dimensions so that the root of the problem, a misaligned and unstable joint within the midfoot is corrected and stabilized. The procedure uses smaller incisions than traditional bunion surgery which involves shaving of the bony projection (osteotomy) and shifting the bones but does not address the unstable joint or the 3-dimensional nature of the deformity.