# Bunionectomy

- Link: https://carolinaona.com/bunionectomy/
- Published: 2019-01-15T17:18:58-05:00
- Author: Dallas Clifton

# Bunionectomy

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### Bunionectomy Overview

A bunion is a painful lump on the side of the big toe. A small percentage of bunions
do not respond to nonsurgical treatment options and surgery is recommended. A Carolina
Orthopaedics and Neurosurgical Associates’ (CONA) foot and ankle specialist performs
a bunionectomy to remove the bunion and reduce symptoms.

## **How is a bunionectomy performed?**

An outpatient bunionectomy is performed under regional or general anesthesia. A 
CONA specialist:

 * Gently retracts soft tissues
 * Removes the bunion
 * Carefully closes tissue layers and skin

A sterile dressing is placed over the surgical site. A soft dressing is wrapped 
around the foot for comfort. A postoperative hard sole shoe is placed on the foot
for protection. Total procedure time is 30-60 minutes.

## **What conditions can bunionectomy treat?**

A bunionectomy treats a symptomatic bunion that does not improve after nonsurgical
treatment options. Symptoms that improve after surgery include:

 * Pain
 * Stiffness
 * Swelling
 * Tenderness

## **What are bunionectomy advantages?**

After recovery, bunionectomy patients are able to:

 * Exercise
 * Run/walk for prolonged periods
 * Wear different shoe types
 * Wear sandals and open shoes without having to worry about their bunion showing

## **What is bunionectomy recovery like?**

Patients return home shortly after their procedure. CONA specialists give patients
detailed instructions regarding:

 * Bearing weight
 * Dressing care
 * Elevating and icing the foot
 * Managing pain and swelling

Patients who adhere to their CONA specialist’s instructions recover quickly and 
benefit from their procedure.