Surgical therapy
The aim of the operation on claw toes is to correct the malpositioning and stiffening, as well as to relieve passive tendon tension by shortening the length of bone. In this procedure, a part of the toe bone is removed. The most frequently used operation is the Hohmann operation.
It usually consists of a resection (removal) of the protruding head of the base toe bone at the point where the corn is located. Care must be taken to ensure that the toe is shortened sufficiently to prevent recurrence (recurrence of the malposition). In post-treatment, care should be taken to ensure that the straight position of the toe is fixed with either a wire or a plaster bandage for 2 weeks.
After 2 weeks, the foot can then be fully loaded again. The most frequently performed surgical techniques at present are For information about the operation of claw toes we recommend our page on: Operation of claw toes
- Tendon displacement
- Resection arthroplasty according to Hohmann
- Joint preserving displacement osteotomy according to Weil
If the deformity is slightly pronounced, it may be sufficient to relocate the shortened tendon on the sole side to the back of the toe. This cancels out the flexion in the middle and end joint.
Hohmann resection arthroplasty requires the removal of the joint head of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the toe. Depending on the severity of the disease, the capsule surrounding the joint may also have to be removed. Afterwards, the tendon, which is responsible for the appearance of the claw toes by shortening them, can be stretched.
After the operation, the operated structures must be fixed. This can be done either with a special plaster bandage or by inserting a wire. The foot can be loaded directly after the operation.
The inserted fixation wire can be removed after complete healing. In case of dislocations in the area of the metatarsophalangeal joints, a position correction can be achieved by a shortening displacement osteotomy of the metatarsal bones. In addition, an extensor tendon extension and capsule loosening is performed. Stabilization is performed with mini screws, which usually do not need to be removed.
