Mercy's Expert Surgeons Offer Foot Fusion in Baltimore

The surgeons at The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy in Baltimore specialize in providing the best treatment options, including foot fusion, for foot conditions such as arthritis or deformity.

What is Foot Fusion?

Foot fusion surgery is commonly performed to treat arthritis or deformity. Normal joints have healthy cartilage covering the bones on both sides providing smooth, painless motion.

When the joint is damaged or arthritic, motion becomes painful and stiff. In these cases, fusing or “gluing” together the two bones on either side of a joint may provide pain relief and improved mobility.  

How is a Foot Fusion performed?

A fusion is achieved by surgically removing the cartilage on both sides of a joint and perforating the surface of the underlying bone. The two bones are then compressed together with screws or plates and over time will heal together into one fused bone. When this happens, there is no further joint motion but the arthritis pain is relieved.

In cases where there is deformity of the foot or ankle, the bones are realigned into the normal anatomic position before they are fused. Once healed, the deformity should never return.

Who should receive a Foot Fusion?

Patients with big toe arthritis, known as hallux rigidus, are often treated with a first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion.

Midfoot arthritis, either from osteoarthritis or previous injury, is treated with a midfoot fusion.

Finally, patients with hindfoot arthritis, most commonly from severe flatfoot deformity or a previous fracture, are typically treated with a triple fusion.