Cheilectomy for hallux rigidus

Cheilectomy is the excision of an irregular osseous rim that interferes with joint motion. Twenty cases of hallux rigidus/limitus treated by cheilectomy have been reviewed 18 months after surgery. A satisfactory outcome was achieved in all but 2 cases, which were failures. Range of joint motion, in particular dorsi flexion, improved in all but 6 cases. Cheilectomy is a simple and effective alternative to arthrodesis in the treatment of hallux rigidus.