Fixation device and method for repair of pronounced hallux valgus

Claim 1

A surgical method for repair of hallux valgus comprising: (a) entering the tissues of the foot affected with hallux valgus using a medial incision at the first metatarsal; (b) excising the medial eminence of the first metatarsal head; (c) correcting the pronation deformity, maintaining the proper plantar displacement of the first metatarsal, and retaining these structures in position thereafter by mechanically linking the first and second metatarsal necks with a stabilization device and retaining said stabilization device in place during the remainder of the surgery; (d) thereafter performing a proximal chevron osteotomy on the first metatarsal shaft, forming two metatarsal segments; (e) reorienting the metatarsal segments relative to each other to compensate for the hallux valgus, thereby creating a medial dislocation gap at the terminus of the reoriented osteotomy surfaces; (f) grafting excised medial eminence tissue into the medial dislocation gap; and (g) stabilizing the reoriented first metatarsal during healing by replacing the stabilization device with a fixation device which splints the first metatarsal and links the first metatarsal to the second metatarsal and which is removable after healing, with limited trauma to surrounding tissues.