Study Shows Surgery For Tailor's Bunion is 96 Percent Successful

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Surgical treatment for tailor's bunion, a painful bony protrusion behind the little toe, has proven to be 96 percent successful in correcting the deformity, according to research reported in the current issue of the Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery (JFAS), a publication of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

Also known as bunionettes, tailor's bunions develop from an enlargement of the joint behind the little toe and they occur mainly in women. The enlarged joint can worsen from pre-existing arthritic joint inflammation, bone structure abnormalities that cause joint instability, and wearing high heels or other narrow-fitting shoes.

Common symptoms are pain and inflammation in the little-toe area, gait abnormalities, discomfort from wearing dress shoes, lesions on the little toe, ulceration and infection. Those with persistent symptoms that can't be relieved by taking anti-inflammatory drugs or wearing wider shoes are best treated with surgery.

In the JFAS study, the outcome for 96 percent of feet operated on to correct a tailor's bunion was rated as excellent or good. "It's a highly effective but simple outpatient procedure using local anesthesia, with a short recuperative time in a surgical shoe," said Leigh Harvey, DPM, AACFAS, a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon based in Carrollton, Texas. "Given the outstanding success of surgical treatment, there's no reason anyone should endure persistent pain from a tailor's bunion."

There are several surgical procedures to correct tailor's bunion, which include shaving excess bone to remove the bunionette and procedures to realign the joint behind the little toe. A podiatric foot and ankle surgeon will determine the best surgical technique based on the patient's foot type, activity level, age and other factors.

The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons is the professional organization for podiatric foot and ankle surgeons, doctors of podiatric medicine (DPM) who are graduates of four-year podiatric medical colleges and have completed surgical residencies. The organization is dedicated to developing surgical standards for the care of the foot and ankle, sponsoring research and providing continuing education for its members.

Source: American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons