Comparison between different bunion procedures

Comparison of Bunion Procedures: Choosing the Right Path to Address Bunion

Bunion deformities can be painful and hinder your mobility. While various surgical options are available to tackle this common foot problem, it’s important to note that not all procedures yield the same optimal outcomes. In this comprehensive guide, we will compare various bunion procedures to help you make an informed decision about your treatment.

1. Dr. Cho’s Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery with Hardware Fixation

Incision Size: Tiny pinhole incisions
Need for Cast or Crutches: No
Walking: Immediately after surgery
Joint Fusion/Destruction: No
Infection Risk: Low
Method to Fix Bone Cut: Small titanium screws
Stability of Surgical Bone Cut: Highly stable
Rate of Recurrence: Low
Severity of Deformity Managed: Mild to severe

Dr. Cho’s procedure is the modern solution for mild to severe bunions, offering stability with minimal scarring, reduced swelling, and less pain. The procedure demands a steep learning curve, and not many surgeons possess the capability to perform it with precision and consistency.

2. Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery with No Hardware Fixation

Incision Size: Tiny pinhole incisions
Need for Cast or Crutches: No
Walking: Immediately after surgery
Joint Fusion/Destruction: No
Infection Risk: Low
Method to Fix Bone Cut: Tapes and bandages
Stability of Surgical Bone Cut: Low
Rate of Recurrence: High
Severity of Deformity Managed: Mild to moderate

This procedure may not maintain correction and carries a risk of recurrence due to its low stability, potentially leading to transfer lesions or metatarsalgia. Furthermore, many surgeons tend to avoid bony involvement, opting exclusively for soft tissue procedures. This limits their capacity to address larger bunion deformities.

3. Lapidus/Lapiplasty (Joint Fusion Bunion Surgery)

Incision Size: Large (~1 inch or bigger incision)
Need for Cast or Crutches: Yes
Walking: 6-8 weeks after surgery
Joint Fusion/Destruction: Yes (with a risk that the joint may not properly fuse)
Infection Risk: Higher
Method to Fix Bone Cut: Plates and large screws
Stability of Surgical Bone Cut: High
Rate of Recurrence: Low (if joint fuses with no complication)
Severity of Deformity Managed: Moderate to Severe

This procedure presents a higher risk of complications, including infection and non-union of the fused joint, requiring joint destruction, casts, crutches, and leading to larger scars and extended recovery.

4. Traditional Open Bunion Surgery

Incision Size: Large (~1 inch or bigger incision)
Need for Cast or Crutches: Yes
Walking: 4-6 weeks after surgery
Joint Fusion/Destruction: No
Infection Risk: Higher
Method to Fix Bone Cut: Screws or plates
Stability of Surgical Bone Cut: Moderate
Rate of Recurrence: Moderate
Severity of Deformity Managed: Mild to moderate

This method carries a higher risk of complications, including infection and joint stiffness, and results in larger scars and longer recovery periods.

	Dr. Cho’s Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery with hardware fixation	Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery with No hardware fixation	Lapidus/Lapiplasty (Joint fusion bunion surgery)	Traditional Open Bunion Surgery
Incision Size	Tiny pin hole incisions	Tiny pin hole incisions	Large ~1 inch or bigger incision	Large ~1 inch or bigger incision
Need for Cast or Crutches	No	No	Yes	Yes
Walking	Immediately after surgery	Immediately after surgery	6-8 weeks after surgery	4-6 weeks after surgery
Joint fusion/joint destruction	No	No	Yes (with a risk that the joint may not properly fuse)	Open surgery via cutting soft tissue and joint capsule can result in stiffness of the big toe joint after the surgery
Infection risk	Low	Low	Higher	Higher
Method to fix bone cut	Small titanium screws	Tapes and bandages	Plates and large screws	Screws or plates
Stability of surgical bone cut after surgery	Highly stable	Low (no fixation. After bone cut is made, the correction is maintained only with tapes)	High	Moderate
Rate of recurrence	Low	High	Low (if joint fuses with no complication)	Moderate
Severity of deformity that can be managed	Mild, moderate and severe bunion deformity	Mild to moderate	Moderate to Severe	Mild to moderate
	Dr. Cho’s procedure is the modern solution for mild to severe bunions, offering stability with minimal scarring, reduced swelling, and less pain. The procedure demands a steep learning curve, and not many surgeons possess the capability to perform it with precision and consistency.	This procedure may not maintain correction and carries a risk of recurrence due to its low stability, potentially leading to transfer lesions or metatarsalgia. Furthermore, many surgeons tend to avoid bony involvement, opting exclusively for soft tissue procedures. This limits their capacity to address larger bunion deformities.	Higher risk of complication such as infection and non-union (non-healing of bone cut) of joint fused. Need for joint destruction. Need for cast and crutches. Large scar. Lengthy recovery with increased swelling and pain.	Higher complication of infection and joint stiffness. Large scar. Lengthy recovery with increased swelling and pain.

Choosing the Right Procedure

Dr. Cho’s Minimally Invasive Bunion Surgery with hardware fixation stands out as the optimal modern solution for mild to severe deformities. It provides stability with minimal scarring, reduced swelling, and less pain.

Trust Dr. Cho, a renowned expert in reconstructive foot surgery located in the heart of NYC, New York, to guide you in selecting the most suitable bunion surgery for your needs. Request a consultation today to take the first step toward healthier and more comfortable feet.