Bone Spur
Surgical correction consists of making a small incision near the spur and smoothing the bone with a rasp or power burr. Quite often, this can be accomplished thru an incision small enough to require a single stitch. When the spur is adjacent to the toenail, a small section of the toenail may also be removed. On occasion, the spurring on the fifth toe may be associated with a mild, flexible contracture or curving of the toe. When this is the case, an additional incision may be required to release the tendon in the bottom of the fifth toe.
If the spur is at the base of the fifth toe and associated with a soft corn, a different surgical procedure is performed. Bone spur surgery of the toes is generally performed in the doctor’s office under a local anesthetic. A very small bandage is placed over the surgical site. Sometimes a Band-Aid may be used. Quite often, the patient will be given a post-operative shoe to wear until they can comfortably get into a normal shoe. The stitches stay in place for seven to ten days. During this time, the area should be kept dry to help prevent infection. Frequently, the surgeon will allow the patients to change their own bandage on a daily basis. The day of surgery, the patient should significantly limit their activity to reduce the risk of bleeding.