Questions To Ask During A Hammer Toe Surgery Consultation
Posted on: 1 July 2022
Hammer toe can be a hard condition to live with. Eventually, the toe curls up enough that it may start rubbing on your shoe or interfering with the fit of your shoes. When it reaches this stage, it is often time to consider surgery. That process will begin with a consultation with a podiatrist or podiatric surgeon. This consultation is an opportunity for the surgeon to examine your toe and develop a potential surgical plan. However, it is also a chance for you to ask questions. Here are some of the key questions you'll want to ask during your consultation.
Will the surgical procedure alter the bone?
Hammer toe is largely caused by a shortening of the tendons and ligaments in your toe. Eventually, however, there can be changes to the bones in your toe, which contributes to the stiffness of your hammer toe. For this reason, some hammer toe surgeries involve shaving down some of the bones in the toe. Others only involve snipping and stretching the tendons and ligaments. It's important to ask your surgeon whether they will make any modifications to the bone during your particular hammer toe surgery. If they do, the surgery will take longer, as will your recovery. This is not necessarily a reason not to go through with the surgery, but it is something to be aware of.
Will you be given general or regional anesthetic?
Many hammer toe surgeries are performed under local or regional anesthetic. In other words, your leg and foot will be numb, but you will be awake. However, there are situations in which a general anesthetic may be given instead. You may be given a general anesthetic if your hammer toe is more complex, or if you've reacted poorly to local anesthetics before. Ask your surgeon what they're planning to use. General anesthesia requires more prep, such as fasting beforehand.
What will your toe look like after recovery?
The hope is always that hammer toe surgery can restore your toe to its pre-hammer toe state. However, this is not always possible. Sometimes a toe may still be bent mildly after surgery. Other times, there may be some scar tissue. It's a good idea to ask your doctor what your toe will look like post-surgery so the results do not surprise you.
During a consultation for hammer toe surgery, make sure you ask the questions above. If you come up with any other questions or concerns, you can feel comfortable bringing them up, too.
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