Bunion removal

Pressure on the inside of your foot can cause your big toe to be pushed against your other toes. As a result, a bunion (a painful bony lump) forms, which is a deformity of your big toe. Bunion removal can get rid of this bony lump and also help to realign your toes.

Bunions that cause pain, either around the bunion area or because they’re pushing the second toe over or under the big toe, can usually be treated with non-surgical options, such as broader or more stretchy footwear.

The only way to definitively get rid of bunions is through surgical treatment. We're proud to offer various types of surgery including keyhole bunion surgery (also known as minimally invasive bunion surgery) at The Lister Hospital in Chelsea, which is showing to provide a quicker recovery time for patients than that of open surgery.

Even with keyhole bunion reconstruction surgery or minimally invasive bunion surgery, the treatment will correct the shape of your foot. The procedure usually takes around 30 minutes and will involve the use of general and local anaesthetic. If patients can't tolerate general anaesthetic then this needn't be a barrier as consideration can be made for spinal anaesthetic or a block of part of the leg.

At HCA UK we use state-of-the-art theatres, and surgery is performed with an X-ray machine in sterile conditions, which means live imaging can be taken during surgery.

For keyhole bunion surgery, small incisions are made in the skin to facilitate breaking the bones either side of the big toe joint.  This will then allow the bones to be pushed into a better position before fixing them with screws. These screws generally stay in and do not need to be removed, though they can be if required.

The shape of the bone is also further modified using a shaving technique through the same tiny incisions. A keyhole approach to bunion surgery has the benefit of a quicker recovery, which means sees many patients walk immediately after surgery.

Keyhole surgery patients who have had a previous bunion using open surgery methods have reported the keyhole experience is less painful. Bones still take six weeks to heal and three months to consolidate or become more solid, but the return to activity is usually quicker. 

Patients also report not needing any analgesia (pain relief) after surgery, though some patients may benefit from a day or two of pain relief depending on the initial shape of the foot and the severity of the bunion.