Big toe deformities are common in adults; beyond cosmetic concerns, they cause difficulties with wearing shoes and pain, and often require surgical treatment. In children, however, big toe deformities are much rarer, and their treatment is quite challenging. These conditions, which are usually congenital (present at birth), are often accompanied by other foot deformities. We have completed the 4-year follow-up of a bone and soft tissue surgery (tendon transfer) performed on a 6-year-old patient who had previously undergone surgery at another center for polydactyly of the big toe (an extra toe) and hallux varus (inward deviation of the big toe toward the midline).
You are viewing a video of the clinical and radiographic images related to this case, which we published in 2021 in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association (JAPMA) in collaboration with my esteemed colleagues Dr. Barış Kadıoğlu, Assoc. Prof. Budak Akman, and Dr. Namık Kemal Özkan. The most significant difference between hallux deformities in children and those in adults is the necessity for close follow-up of the surgical treatment until skeletal growth is complete, as well as the need to be prepared for additional interventions when necessary.