A bunion is a painful deformity of the bones and joint between the foot and the big toe. Long-term irritation (chronic inflammation) caused by poorly fitting and/or high-heeled shoes, arthritis, or heredity causes the joint to thicken and enlarge.
Such thickening and enlargement causes the big toe to angle in toward and over the second toe, the foot bone (metatarsal) to angle out toward the other foot, and the skin to thicken (callus formation).
Surgical removal of a bunion is usually done while the patient is under general anesthesia (asleep and pain-free) and rarely requires a hospital stay.
An incision is made along the bones of the big toe into the foot. The deformed joint and bones are repaired, and the bones are stabilized with a pin and/or cast.