Minimal Incision Hammertoe Surgery

How to Treat Hammertoe

Most people don’t pay attention to their feet until something goes wrong. A hammertoe is a very common condition, but many people don’t know what causes it or how to fix it. If you think you have a hammertoe, you have some options for treatment that don’t involve invasive surgery or long recovery periods.

What Minimally Invasive Hammertoe Surgery Options Are There?

Minimally invasive surgery means your surgeon is using techniques that do not cause undue trauma to the treatment area, often resulting in faster recovery and less downtime. The following options are used to treat hammertoes:

Joint Resection (Arthroplasty)

During this procedure, the surgeon makes a small incision on the top or the side of the affected toe, where it is bent at the joint. This incision releases constructed ligaments and tendons that cause the toe to curl. They straighten the toe and tendons, then remove a small portion of the bone so that when healed, it will rest normally. Sometimes, a surgical pin is necessary to keep the toe from moving, but this is removed after a few weeks.

Fusion (Arthrodesis)

Fusion surgery begins with a joint resection to flatten and straighten the bones. Then, the ends of the bones in the toes are removed to allow them to heal together, which is called fusion. This is achieved either with the use of a pin (which is later removed) or with the use of an implant that fuses the two bones together.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Hammertoe Correction?

Pros:

• Hammertoe surgery does offer minimally invasive options that are successful, meaning more invasive methods are not necessary.

• Leaving advanced hammertoe deformities untreated can result in limited mobility and debilitating pain.

• Hammertoe surgery has a relatively high success rate.

Cons:

• Although these methods are less invasive, they do require some recovery care and downtime.

• There is a small risk that your hammertoes will come back, even after surgery.