A painful bunion is more than a bump—it’s a three-dimensional joint deformity that keeps widening shoes, distorting toes, and limiting life. Bunionectomy realigns bone, balances soft tissue, and eliminates the medial eminence. From tiny-incision MIS chevron cuts to powerfully corrective Lapidus fusions, our board-certified podiatrists match the procedure to your specific angles, lifestyle, and cosmetic goals.
| Objective Findings | Typical Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Hallux-valgus angle > 15 ° or inter-metatarsal angle > 9 ° | Shoe rub, medial bump pain, activity limitation |
| Failure of wide toe-box shoes & orthotics | Second-toe crossover / hammertoe |
| Progressive deformity on serial X-rays | Cosmesis concerns, difficulty finding dress or sport shoes |
| Deformity Severity* | Bone Work | Fixation & Approach | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild (IM ≤ 13 °) | MIS Chevron / Akin osteotomy | 2–3 key-hole incisions, headless screws | Minimal scar, WB sandal day 1 |
| Moderate (IM 14–16 °) | Scarf + Akin or Rotational Chevron | 3–4 cm dorsal incision, titanium screws | Powerful correction, keeps 1st TMT mobile |
| Moderate–Severe (IM > 15 °, 1st-ray hyper-mobility) | Lapidus fusion (1st TMT) ± Akin | 4 cm dorsal-medial incision or percutaneous MIS plates | Eliminates hyper-mobility, < 5 % recurrence |
| Revision or Severe (previous failure, arthritis) | MTP fusion or Lapiplasty® 3-D correction | Low-profile plate & lag screw | Reliable pain relief, stable push-off |
*IM = inter-metatarsal angle measured on weight-bearing AP X-ray.
Entire OR time: 45–75 minutes.
| Metric | MIS / Chevron | Lapidus Fusion |
|---|---|---|
| Recurrence at 5 yrs | 5–8 % | < 3 % |
| Patient-reported pain ↓ | 80–90 % | 90–95 % |
| Return to desk work | 1–2 wks | 2 wks (NWB scooter) |
| Return to running | 8–10 wks | 12–16 wks |
| Hallux-valgus angle correction | 15–18 ° | 20–25 ° & hyper-mobility eliminated |
RCTs and registry data (AOFAS, 2022) show equal satisfaction between MIS Chevron and traditional Scarf for mild–moderate angles, while Lapidus leads durability charts for severe deformity.
| Benefits | Mitigated Risks |
|---|---|
| Permanent bump removal & toe realignment | Temporary swelling (4–6 mo), mitigated by elevation & compression sleeve |
| Shoe and activity freedom | Hardware irritation (< 5 %); low-profile screws/plates reduce removal need |
| High cosmetic acceptance (MIS tiny scars) | Non-union rare (< 2 % Lapidus) —vitamin D check, rigid fixation |
| Prevents second-toe crossover & metatarsalgia | DVT prophylaxis for NWB phases |
Proper angle correction + hyper-mobility control makes recurrence < 5 %. Wearing appropriate shoes and orthotics protects results.
Titanium rarely alarms. If it does, we give an implant card. Hardware removal is optional if it ever irritates.
Lapiplasty is a branded Lapidus with jigs that lock three-plane correction; outcomes mirror standard Lapidus when angles are matched.
You don’t have to live with bulging bone and shoe frustration. Book a bunion-correction consultation with North Texas Podiatry Associates to map X-ray-driven options—from tiny-incision chevron to powerful Lapidus fusion—and regain confident, comfortable strides.