Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
Patients usually consult a doctor about toe deformities because of pain or discomfort in the foot when walking or running. The physician takes several factors into consideration when examining a patient who may require surgery to correct a toe deformity....
Some surgical procedures require only small amounts of cutting or tissue removal while others require extensive dissection. The blood supply in the affected toe is an important factor in planning surgery. It determines not only whether the toe will heal fully but also whether the surgeon can perform more than one procedure on the toe. In addition to a visual examination of the patient's foot, the doctor will ask the patient to walk back and forth in the office or hallway in order to evaluate the patient's gait (habitual pattern of walking). This part of the office examination allows the doctor to identify static or dynamic forces that may be causing the toe deformity. Imaging tests are also performed, usually x-ray studies.
If the doctor considers it necessary to rule out systemic disorders, he or she may order the following laboratory tests: a fasting glucose test to evaluate or rule out diabetes, and a sedimentation rate test to evaluate the possibility of an underlying infection in the foot.
Before surgery, the patient receives an appropriate local anesthetic, and the foot is cleansed and draped.
Advertisement
Osteoarthritis or OA is one of the main types of arthridities (the plural of arthritis). This narrated animation describes how osteoarthritis may affect a joint (in this case, the knee) and cause pain and difficulty with movement.
Search
Other Information
Hammer, claw, and mallet toe surgery refers to a series of surgical procedures performed to correct deformed toes.
There are three main forms of toe abnormalities in the human foot: hammer toes, claw toes, and mallet toes. A hammer toe, also called contracted toe, bone spur, rotated toe, or deformed toe, is a toe curled as the result of a bend in the middle joint. It may be either flexible or rigid, and may affect any of the four smaller toes. The joints in the toe buckle due to tightening of the ligaments and tendons, which points the toe upward at an angle. The patient's shoes then put pressure on the prominent portion of the toe, leading to inflammation, bursitis, corns, and calluses. Mallet toes and claw toes are similar to hammer toes, except that different joints on the toe are affected. The joint at the end of the toe buckles in a mallet toe, while a claw toe involves abnormal positions of all three joints in the toe.
From http://www.answers.com/topic/hammer-claw-and-mallet-toe-surgery
Other Information
For foot and ankle problems, surgery is sometimes the more definitive answer to a persistent problem and the best way to prevent more serious conditions.
-Institute of Surgical Podiatry
Find a Qualified Specialist
Looking for a specialist?
Please enter your zip code.