Bunion surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States. It is usually performed in an outpatient setting and no overnight stay is required. The majority of bunion surgeries take less than 2 hours and have great long term outcomes. The most common bunion surgery is an Austin bunionectomy as it is called. It has been utilized for almost 100 years and is a powerful tool in bunion correction.
The Austin bunionectomy traditionally involved a cut in the 1st metatarsal head. It was cut from medial to lateral in a chevron type fashion. This allows for correction of the abnormally aligned joint and removal of the bunion. It usually involves some sort of fixation to hold the bone in place like a screw or a pin. Some surgeons require a period of non-weight bearing and typically 3 months before back to normal activities.`
I personally have performed this type of bunion surgery 1000’s of times. I like to make a longer arm with my but on the bottom of the bone as opposed to a chevron style cut. This allows for a more rigid fixation and faster recovery. The typical patient can return to activities at 6 weeks.
If you have a bunion that is causing pain and want to have minimal downtime give me a call and I can review all your options. Remember I have an onsite surgery center that saves thousands as compared to having your procedure at a hospital or ASC.
Sincerely,
