Retrospective Comparison of Preoperative and Postoperative Foot Width in Minimally Invasive Hallux Valgus Surgery

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has gained popularity for hallux valgus correction in the adult population. The advantage of reproducibility of this procedure can aid in lower operating room costs, quicker recovery, and fewer complications. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare preoperative versus postoperative foot widths in patients that underwent MIS hallux valgus correction. The average preoperative foot width was 101.1 ± 5.67 mm and postoperatively the foot width measured at 12-month follow-up was 95.9 ± 4.92 mm, which was statistically significant (p < .001). Overall, there was a 5.03 ± 3.71% reduction in foot width, with a statistically significant linear relationship between preoperative foot width and percent change in width following the procedure (R = -0.46; p = .003). Based on our results, we can conclude that MIS bunion surgery can effectively narrow the foot postoperatively, particularly in patients with a wider forefoot, adding cosmetic benefit to the procedure.