Bilateral bunionette in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Introduction: Tailor's bunion or Bunionette deformities were described by Davies et al. as abnormal, painful bony prominence on the lateral aspect of the fifth metatarsal head. This prominence, though present in many individuals, seldom causes symptoms. Most deformities can be managed conservatively, and surgical interventions will be needed only for refractory cases presenting with chronic pain. Various surgical interventions (percutaneous, mini-open, open), including osteotomies at different level, has been described in the literature. Case: A thirty-three-year-old female house-maker presented with swelling over the bilateral fifth metatarsal lateral aspect and pain while walking for the last six months. The patient is a known case of Rheumatoid arthritis controlled on medication. The patient underwent Lateral exostectomy resection for bilateral swelling, At one year follow up, the patient had good functional outcome with no recurrence. Conclusion: Tailor's bunion deformity, although morphologically common, is rarely symptomatic. Its management involves identifying the cause, thorough clinical and radiographic evaluation of the deformity, and deciding the best surgical procedure to obtain optimal results.