Bunion Surgery (Hallux Valgus Correction)

Bunion surgery straightens the big toe when the first metatarsal bone has drifted inwards and the toe outwards, leaving a painful bump at the joint. The surgeon cuts and shifts the bone, or fuses a joint, and fixes it with small screws or plates. Shaving the bump alone is rarely enough.

It relieves pain and lets you wear ordinary shoes again in most cases. It is not a cosmetic operation: the foot stays swollen for months, and some stiffness or recurrence is possible.

What Bunion Surgery (Hallux Valgus Correction) involves

Standing X-rays measure the angles between the bones and decide the method. For mild to moderate bunions, a chevron or scarf osteotomy cuts the first metatarsal near its head or along its shaft, slides it towards the second toe and fixes it with one or two buried screws; an extra cut in the toe bone (Akin osteotomy) fine tunes the alignment. Tight tissues on the outer side of the joint are released and the inner capsule tightened. For severe deformity, an unstable midfoot joint or arthritis, the first tarsometatarsal joint is fused (Lapidus procedure; Lapiplasty is a branded system for it), or the big toe joint itself is fused. Minimally invasive versions do the same bone cuts through incisions of a few millimetres with a burr under X-ray control.

Who is a good candidate for Bunion Surgery (Hallux Valgus Correction)?

Surgery is for pain and shoe problems that persist despite wider footwear, pads and insoles.

• Painful bunion limiting walking or footwear for more than 6 months
• Second toe being pushed up or crossing over
• Repeated skin breakdown or bursitis over the bump
• Healthy circulation and skin in the foot
• Able to limit activity for about 6 weeks

It is usually not the right choice if:

• A painless bunion you simply dislike the look of
• Poor blood supply to the foot or uncontrolled diabetes with neuropathy
• Active smokers, who have a higher rate of bone non-union
• Teenagers still growing, unless symptoms are severe
• Anyone expecting to wear narrow high heels soon after

Technique options

• Chevron osteotomy: Mild to moderate deformity; reliable and quick to heal.
• Scarf and Akin osteotomy: Moderate to severe deformity; allows a larger shift.
• Lapidus fusion: Severe deformity, hypermobile first ray or recurrence; longer protected weight bearing.
• Minimally invasive (MICA, percutaneous chevron-Akin): Smaller scars and often less stiffness; needs a surgeon trained in the technique.
• First MTP joint fusion: When the big toe joint is arthritic.

What happens during your treatment

It takes 45 to 90 minutes per foot under spinal or general anaesthesia with an ankle nerve block, which keeps the foot numb for 12 to 24 hours. Most people go home the same day or after one night in a stiff-soled post-operative shoe and can put weight on the heel straight away, except after a Lapidus fusion where weight bearing may be delayed.

Preparing for your trip

Plan for 10 to 14 days in Istanbul. Your surgeon reviews photographs and your medical history before you book, and you meet in person the day before surgery for examination, marking and consent with a professional interpreter.

• Stop smoking and nicotine at least four weeks before and after surgery; it is the single biggest avoidable cause of wound problems
• Tell the team about every medicine and supplement you take; blood thinners, some herbal products and hormone treatment may need to be paused on your doctor's advice
• Arrange for someone to travel with you or to be reachable, and keep the first days at home free of work and lifting
• Book a changeable return flight; your surgeon confirms when you are fit to fly

Recovery and results

Keep the foot raised above heart level for most of the first 2 weeks; this is the single most useful thing you can do. Stitches come out at 2 weeks. You wear the surgical shoe for 6 weeks, then a wide trainer. Driving returns at 6 to 8 weeks for a right foot. Swelling lasts 3 to 6 months and final comfort can take a year. Both feet are usually done a few months apart.

• Back to everyday activity: 6 weeks in surgical shoe
• When results show: Alignment at once; comfort at 3 to 6 months
• How long they last: Long lasting; recurrence in a minority

Safety, risks and revision policy

Most patients are satisfied, but around 1 in 10 has some ongoing problem.

• Recurrence of the deformity over the years
• Stiffness of the big toe joint
• Over-correction, with the toe drifting inwards (hallux varus)
• Delayed union or non-union of the bone, especially in smokers
• Pain under the second toe from load transfer
• Numbness along the toe from skin nerve injury
• Infection or prominent screws needing removal
• Deep vein thrombosis, relevant when flying

Every written proposal arranged through Clinic-Y states what the clinic covers if a correction is needed. Ask for it before you book, not after.

Cost of Bunion Surgery (Hallux Valgus Correction) in Türkiye

Clinic-Y does not publish a single price for Bunion Surgery (Hallux Valgus Correction), because the honest figure depends on your case. What moves it:

• Technique and implants, fusion plates costing more than screws
• One foot or both
• Day case versus overnight stay
• Post-operative shoe, X-rays and physiotherapy

Send your photographs or reports and you receive written, all-inclusive proposals from suitable teams, side by side. Reviewing your case is free.

Frequently Asked Questions