I see quite a few pediatric patients and a number of juvenile bunions. The major factor to development of a juvenile bunion is family history or genetics. Almost every child I see with a bunion has a family history of bunions. Usually mom and/or grandma have a bunion and often even their siblings have one. When bunions present early in development they can be difficult to manage. It is hard to find success in the conservative realm with bunions and quite a few require surgery.
Surgery for the juvenile bunion can be very rewarding and provide excellent long term results. First and foremost, it requires a physician work up and x-ray. Often there can be an underlying flatfoot with a juvenile bunion and not addressing this can lead to increased rate of recurrence. After a thorough history and physical the appropriate procedure can be selected. Typically a juvenile bunion will be fixed with a Lapidus type procedure.
The Lapidus or Lapiplasty is a highly successful procedure and has great long term outcomes. This involves a rotation correction of the bunion and a reduction in the splaying of the forefoot. There are many ways to fixate this type of correction for bunions and is surgeon dependent. It is amazing how quickly children heal from a procedure like this! If you have a child with a bunion and would like to have a consultation please make an appointment today. Give us a call at 425-391-8666 or make an appointment online today.
Sincerely,
