Is Hammertoe Surgery Worth It?
Hammertoe is a common foot deformity in which one or more toes contract and appear to become "bent" out of their normal position. When someone has hammertoe, the end of their toe (typically the toe next to the big toe) bends downward while the toe joint curls up. It is usually caused by an imbalance between the muscles, ligaments, or tendons which serve to hold the toe straight and in place.
Hammertoe Treatments
If the pain and swelling of your hammertoe have not reached a stage where they are extremely painful, your physician may suggest to treat them with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen. You might also find it helpful to apply an ice pack several times a day to keep the swelling down.
Your doctor may recommend a steroid injection for the toe, which can be effective at relieving pain and swelling temporarily. When the swelling and the pain become significant, however, you may be faced with the prospect of undergoing hammertoe correction through surgery.
There are several surgical procedures which can correct the deformity. Hammertoe fusion is one option that your surgeon may suggest. This procedure fuses the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) so the toe can be straightened and stabilized. A wire is inserted to hold the two bones together until they fuse naturally. It may take up to six weeks for fusion of the joint to be complete during which time the pin must remain in the toe and across the joint. The amount of time required for healing will vary.
A new option
An alternative to hammertoe fusion that your surgeon may suggest is the TenoTac® procedure. A surgeon using the TenoTac® System manually straightens the toe, and the tendons along the bottom of the toe are stabilized and tacked in place, rebalancing the toe so the toe can look and function normally again.
The minimally invasive nature of the TenoTac® procedure may allow for a quicker recovery period as well as light mobility retention.
Important Risk Information
Only a surgeon can tell if the TenoTac® Procedure is right for you. There are potential risks, and recovery takes time. Potential risks include but are not limited to infection, discomfort, or swelling due to balancing and introduction of the implant, loosening of the implant, and loss of correction. Caution: Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.
For the contraindications, potential complications and adverse reactions, warnings and precautions associated with this device, please refer to the device specific instructions for use at https://www.paragon28.com/ifus.
For additional information on Paragon 28® and its products please visit www.paragon28.com.
References
https://familydoctor.org/condition/hammer-toe/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17038-hammertoes
