Tell Me How You Really Feel About the Bunion Market

First, there was 3D hallux valgus correction, then 4D correction, and now, minimally invasive surgery – the hottest buzz in foot and ankle. Rapid adoption by surgeons, influenced by direct-to-consumer advertising, has allowed for better-than-market growth rates for the companies that have invested in a bunion platforms. But not every surgeon believes the bunion dilemma has been solved.

MIS

Alimy et al. publishing in June 2023 CORR Insights, found with a meta-analysis that hallux valgus treated with minimally invasive surgery did not result in improved clinical or radiologic outcomes compared with open surgery. The authors further concede that methodologic shortcomings of the source studies in this meta-analysis likely inflated the apparent benefits of minimally invasive surgery, such that it may be inferior to the traditional approach.

TMT fusion

While FIX rarely cites blogs (level 5), this one by Doug Richie, DPM, is a well-expressed exploration on the location and mechanism of bunion correction. And it throws some shade on 3D and 4D correction systems.

And then… there are post-op X-rays even associated with patient satisfaction after scarf bunionectomy?

Albright et al. (2023) looked at whether X-ray variables are associated with patient satisfaction at one year postoperatively using a standardized survey inquiring about their satisfaction with regards to pain relief, overall operative result, cosmetic appearance, and the ability to wear desired shoe gear.

Sixty-nine subjects who completed the four-item satisfaction survey with 53.6% (37/69) of subjects answering they were fully satisfied on all aspects of the survey at 12 months postoperatively. Radiographic variables did not appear to be associated with patient satisfaction at one year postoperatively in this study.

Conclusion: Radiographic variables did not appear to be associated with patient satisfaction at one year in scarf bunion repairs.