Chevron osteotomy in the treatment of hallux valgus.

Fifty patients who underwent 80 chevron osteotomies for symptomatic hallux valgus were re-examined and assessed 4 years and 7 months (average) after surgery. Forty-five of the patients were satisfied with the result of their surgery, three patients suffered recurrence of their deformity and two had continuance of their symptomatology. The major complications noted were intraoperative intra-articular fracture of the metatarsal head in five feet, loss of initial repair in three feet, and tilt of the distal fragment (metatarsal head) in two feet. The Chevron osteotomy is a relatively simple procedure that corrects the varus deformity of the first metatarsal, realigns the valgus orientation of the metatarsal head, corrects the hallux valgus deformity, and improves symptomatology.