Big toe joint replacement surgery

I would get a second opinion from Mayo https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/orthopedic-surgery/news/salvage-surgery-for-failed-toe-joint-replacement/mac-20482744
You can walk without a big toe.
Original Medicare is good about paying. If you don't have a secondary or if you are on an advantage plan you may want to change up in the next few months.
to the moderators
Is there a grace program with Mayo for patients to alleviate finance difficulties?

Thank you. This section here is what has happened after the joint replacement was removed. I do have an advantage plan so I will check plans out. Thank you

"When those joint replacements fail, it's a difficult reconstructive problem," Dr. Whalen says. "We can't just take out the implant because joint replacement surgery removes a lot of bone. The big toe is significantly shortened — it's usually shorter than the second toe by one-third — which leads to transfer metatarsalgia. Often the big toe sticks up and won't touch the floor. It's very painful."

@gently, here is a link to Mayo Clinic's financial assistance program(s), https://www.mayoclinic.org/billing-insurance/financial-assistance.

I'd also like to invite @nursejudith, @bbrebozo, @heyjoe415, @live5today to this discussion as they have all faced a big toe joint replacement, fusion or surgery and may have some insights on their experiences with how they recovered or the difficulties they faced after the surgery.

That’s fine.

I now have had two surgery, one to put the toe joint in and one to take it out. My toe is short, sticks up, not connected by bone to my foot and my big toe is numb. There were Alamo two other surgery done on my foot with the first surgery and a redo on one of those sites when they took out the big toe joint. I can barely bend my toes now and the big toe still sticks up and I am in constant pain.

This is how my foot looks now

Wow, that looks painful. I had a failed implant in my big toe ~2012. After a year of pain I went to a really good surgeon who said he's rarely (never?) seen those implants work, so he removed it and fused my big toe. It is now shorter than the 2nd toe (but not as short as yours), sticks up a little (but not as high as yours), and is numb like yours. It feels weird but doesn't hurt and is definitely way better than prior to surgery. I do recall being surprised that this toe surgery was more difficult to recover from than almost any other surgery I've had, which are quite a few. Probably the best advice I can give is to find the best surgeon you can. I started out by letting a podiatrist do that implant which was a huge mistake on my part.

Thank you. My foot is actually worse than prior to surgery. to be honest, I had cartilage removed from my big toe 10 years or so ago due to degenerate arthritis, but my big toe never bothered me, however, I did have nerve damage on the top of my foot and on the bottom of my foot under the pad of my big toe I had a huge bump which my surgeon at the time 10 years ago said he could shave that, but I did not want any more foot surgeries. I then saw this doctor for some steroid shots in my big toe where my first surgeon used to give them, but he gave it to me in the middle of my foot and said he could remove that big bump that had ground and he’d also clean up underneath my pad after the first surgery. The top of my foot felt better. My big toe look like it does basically in this picture, which is my second surgery and my pad was still giant. I attached the report of what he said after my second surgery, which I’m also confused on because he keeps talking about fibromatosis and fibromas, and then the pathology report said there was no fibromatosis, so I’m not sure what’s going on. And then my ankle for some reason with the second surgery is also hurting and feeling like it goes out on me at various times throughout the day and I’m trying to walk. The thing that makes me the most sad is my big toe never bothered me and now look at it and when he was talking about doing the surgery for the top of my foot and the bottom of my foot, he said oh, and I’m gonna put a toe joint in there because you do need that due to how your toe is and that will fix everything. So I thought I needed it. I wish I had never ever done anything to my big toe.

Hi Leslie,

Joint replacement for toes is rarely successful and I'm sorry for what you're going through.

I had a bunionectomy performed on both big toes. I also had arthrodesis (fusion) done on the big toe joints at the same time as the removal of the bunion. The big-toe joint is fused, straightened, and held together with titanium screws and plates. I had great success with this procedure, and other than some stiffness, I'm not even aware that the joint is fused. I can still raise up on my toes, although it is a bit limited.

I suggest you talk with your surgeon about having this done. I researched joint replacement for toes, and found that they failed in the majority of cases.

Hopefully by fusing the joint, the problems you mention will go away. Your surgeon should be able to answer this, and if he/she can't answer, I would find another orthopedic surgeon.

All the best to you, and please let us know your progress.

Joe

Thank you. I’m glad your toe is doing well and I am very happy for you! Yes, I need to find a new orthopedic surgeon!

Thanks for your reply and explaining what happened to you. It's unfortunate that you had to learn the hard way that toe joint replacements rarely work. I am sorry this happened to you. I had surgery to remove bunions on both feet and at the same time, the surgeon fused the big toe joints (arthrodesis).

Recovery is surprisingly long, or at least it seemed that way. I couldn't put any weight at all on the operated foot for two weeks following surgery. That was hard to do.

It's also my understanding that in toe-joint-replacement surgery, a lot of bone is removed. So it makes sense that now that you've had the big toe fused, it is shorter than normal. Again, I'm sorry for what has happened, but it does seem like you've adjusted well. Good for you!

As for Leslie, who asked what to do after a failed joint replacement, I think your experience and advice are the best for her. I hope Leslie takes this up with her surgeon, although I'd suggest finding a new orthopedic surgeon. I'm amazed that any surgeon would recommend a toe joint replacement.

(And to be clear, other common joint replacement surgeries for the knee, hip and shoulder almost always work. So anyone reading this should not be afraid of replacing a knee, hip or shoulder. Spend some time to find a good surgeon.)

All the best to you and Leslie.

Joe