In order to achieve the ultimate goal of correcting a bunion and realigning your toe, the surgery needs to go just right. Unfortunately, there is something known as overcorrected bunion surgery. This happens in case the surgeon makes a mistake during the surgery and doesn’t fix the problem properly. This is why you need to be careful when you’re choosing the right place for your bunion surgery. Finding the right private clinic can save you from unnecessary complications.
Can Bunion Surgery Fail?
Despite being minimally invasive in most cases, bunion surgery can fail and leave you with many consequences. The least bad thing that can happen is that your bunion isn’t properly fixed or returns after the surgery. Other problems that might occur (such as nerve damage) can lead to much more complicated problems. This can eventually lead to persistent bunion deformity, pain, swelling, and overall dysfunction.
What Are the Consequences of a Failed Bunion Surgery?
One of the possible consequences of a failed bunion correction is that once the bone starts healing after the surgery, it does so in a non-optimal position. If this happens, it can lead to further problems. Nerves that are closest to the incision might get damaged, which causes burning, numbness, or pain. Another risk is that other parts of the foot become irritated as well.
Is Overcorrected Bunion Surgery a Common Thing?
Overcorrection of a bunion doesn’t happen very often – it is much less common than under-correction because doctors always try to find the ideal ratio between these two in order to bring your toe into the optimal position. Overcorrection of bunions results in even greater symptoms and overall discomfort. Negative symptoms that might appear are pain and swelling. Overcorrection is, in most cases, the result of a surgical error. The best way to prevent this from happening is to have this surgery done only by a trusted professional.
How to Deal With It?
Living with an overcorrected bunion can cause you pain and other problems after surgery, so you might as well want to learn how to deal with it. It is recommended that you consult with a doctor about the possible solution and best options for your specific case. Revision surgery is one of the best options for those whose bunion surgery failed and the bunion was overcorrected. This can help you reduce negative symptoms that follow unsuccessful surgery.
For example, lengthening a short toe is one of the possible options. Surgeons that do the reconstruction of an overcorrected bunion can make the revision bone cuts in order to fuse the big toe joint in the right position. The surgeon may need to install screws in your toe in order to reposition it properly. The recovery process after this surgery will go in the same way as it did after the first regular one, so there isn’t much you should worry about.
Talk to Your Surgeon Before the Operation About All the Risks
Despite the fact that bunion surgery isn’t very risky and we are talking about minimally invasive procedures, there are still some possible complications and problems that might occur. Some of these risks are on the surgeon, while others are related to patients and the ways they treat the foot after the surgery. If the surgeon makes a mistake during the surgery, overcorrection is one of the possible negative outcomes.
In order to prevent these types of problems, you can book an appointment at the Luxe Foot Surgery clinic. Our highly professional specialists will put all their knowledge and effort into helping you achieve the desired results, so there is nothing you should worry about. The only thing you need to take care of is following the recovery instructions. Contact us to book a free consultation, and we’ll answer any other questions you might have.
FAQ
What Is the Most Severe Bunion Surgery?
The most severe bunion surgery happens when arthritis inflammation is the cause of bunions. These patients have arthrodesis joint fusion, and the surgeon has to remove all the parts of the joint that have arthritis. This is why this surgery is the most challenging one, and it requires special training and knowledge. After removing the part with arthritis, your surgeon places screws in the toe, so they can hold the toe together until it heals. This surgery is often needed with the most severe bunions.
Can Bunion Surgery Be Redone?
Sometimes the initial bunion surgery doesn’t produce the desired results, and this leads to revision surgeries. In case you had bunion surgery but notice that foot pain remains persistent, your bunion recurs, and your toe stays in an uncomfortably stiff position, you probably want to consult with a doctor about having second bunion surgery.
Why Is Bunion Surgery Not Recommended?
There are some negative outcomes you can experience after bunion surgery. These symptoms include:
- Infection,
- Swelling,
- Deep vein thrombosis.
Other complications that might occur include over or under-correction, joint stiffness, nerve damage, and loss of correction. The doctor should decide if your overall medical condition is good enough for you to have this surgery and inform you of possible risks.
Is Lapiplasty Bunion Surgery Painful?
Lapiplasy bunion surgery is actually famous for causing much less postoperative pain. During the surgery itself, patients receive anesthesia, so they don’t feel anything. Because this procedure is less invasive, some patients are able to walk for a short time after the surgery. This treatment is used to correct the root that causes the bunion.
To understand this better, you need to imagine the misalignment of your toe in three dimensions. Lapiplasty is good for achieving necessary correction in a less invasive manner. It does not involve shaving or curing the bones. Using advanced technology, surgeons push the entire metatarsal bone back into its proper position.
