Operative decision making in hallux valgus

As over 130 procedures have been described for the treatment of hallux valgus, understandably the subject can be confusing, especially to the trainee. A surgeon treating hallux valgus must have a decision-making strategy to ensure that the wide variety of deformities seen is correctly treated. We have redeveloped a treatment algorithm for hallux valgus expanding on the principles outlined by Mann to include the key clinical and radiological features that must be assessed in each case. By following these guidelines on the assessment of the individual patients foot, the correct type of procedure can be tailor-made for that particular patient. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.