An incision is made on the side of the big toe, the lump at the top is removed, and the joint is cleaned out. The joint can also be checked to see how severe the arthritis is. The joint and wounds are closed with stitches and dressings applied. Sometimes the surgeon will recommend a ‘Moberg’s Osteotomy’ as well. This realigns the big toe a little so that it is more comfortable to walk.
If the surgery is done for arthritis, and the arthritis is worse than it appears on x-ray prior to surgery, further surgery may be required, but this will be discussed with you before the operation.