Surgeons often use phalangeal head resection to correct hammer, claw, and mallet toes, Opens dialog. In this procedure, the surgeon removes part of one of the toe bones, the phalangeal head, so that the toe can lie flat. The affected tendons, Opens dialog are cut and then reattached to conform to the new, correct toe position. A wire or tape holds the straightened toe in place until it has healed.
A variation of this surgery is called implant arthroplasty. It uses an implant made of a material such as silicone to replace the removed bone segment.
Most people have this surgery as an outpatient, Opens dialog, so you probably won't have to spend a night away from home. But other things, such as your overall health, may require a hospital stay.
Phalangeal head resection for hammer toe
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slide 1 of 6, Phalangeal head resection for hammer toe: Slide 1,
A hammer toe is a toe that bends down toward the floor at the middle toe joint. It usually happens in the second toe. The toe may bend up at the joint where the toe and foot meet, causing the middle toe joint to rise up.
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In a phalangeal head resection for a hammer toe, the surgeon removes a section of the phalangeal bone.
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The surgeon removes the bone section.
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The surgeon straightens the toe.
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The surgeon uses a pin to hold the straightened hammer toe in place.
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After the toe has healed, the surgeon removes the pin, and the straightened hammer toe stays in place.
The wire or tape that holds the toe in the correct position usually stays in place for 3 to 6 weeks. Your toes may be taped together for 4 more weeks while they adjust to their new positions. You may be able to walk on the affected foot right after surgery, but you might need a special shoe. How soon you can start wearing your own shoes depends on how quickly you recover. You may need a follow-up X-ray, Opens dialog.
Information about Phalangeal Head Resection (Arthroplasty) for Toe Joint Deformities
If you have severe pain in a toe that interferes with your daily activities, and if nonsurgical treatments such as roomier footwear, exercises, and pain medicine have not helped, you and your doctor may choose to try a phalangeal head resection.
The success of surgery for hammer, claw, and mallet toes has not been widely studied. The specific results and risks vary. They depend on the type of surgery, your surgeon's experience, and how severe your deformity is. After surgery, most people have toes that lie flat but don't have normal flexibility.footnote 1
Possible complications of surgery include:
Infection, bleeding, and pain, which can occur after any surgery.
Problems with blood flow in the toes, which may result in losing some or all of the toe. How likely this is depends on how deformed and rigid your toe is.
Citations
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Academy of Pediatrics (2010). Toe deformities. In JF Sarwark, ed., Essentials of Musculoskeletal Care, 4th ed., pp. 876–880. Rosemont, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Clinical Review Board All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
Clinical Review Board All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and American Academy of Pediatrics (2010). Toe deformities. In JF Sarwark, ed., Essentials of Musculoskeletal Care, 4th ed., pp. 876–880. Rosemont, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
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