Private practice: Hauptstraße 62 Top 12, 2344 Maria Enzersdorf+43 664 / 84 98 100

  +43 664 84 98 100

Toes so ugly want to hide
after Vitek´s surgery full of pride !

Toe Lengthening

Short toes are either congenital or iatrogenic (caused by surgery, when the toes were shortened too much). Congenital short toes (brachydaktylie) and/or short metatarsal bones (brachymetatarsie) are treated with bone extensions with special bone cuts. 

Unfortunately, hammer toes and other toe deformities are still treated with the removal of joints and other important bone parts in many surgeries. Often this resembles a mutilation and we strongly reject this very old method (Described in 1922)!

However, patients often visit us having horribly mutilated and shortened toes. See examples below and "hammer toes" in the “horror closet”. These patients ask us for a redress and for re-extension of the short toes. The solutions are possible but sometimes difficult.

The operations range from real extensions of the toes, to "re-mounting" a dislocated toe on its corresponding metatarsal head, leading to a relative extension of the toe, up to tendon dislocations for the stretching of a flexibly shortened toe.

Example I:

BEFORE (left picture): Congenital brachymetatarsia of the 4th toe on the left side.

AFTER (right picture): Sensational result. This is how the foot looks just 4 weeks after the operation. The scar is already only a delicate line and will soon no longer be visible.

Example II:

BEFORE (pictures 1 and 2): Again a brachymetatarsis (congenital, too short metatarsal bone). As in almost all cases it affects the 4th toe and the patients are mostly female. This patient, Mrs. L (33 years old) decided to have an extension surgery with us. The younger the patients are, the better the conditions for such an operation.

AFTER (pictures 3 and 4): This is how Mrs L's foot looks like 4 weeks after the operation. We have lengthened the 4th metatarsal and thus the toe.
The result is very good. The scar will soon have faded.

Example III:

Brachymetatarsis (congenital, too short metatarsal bone) 4 left in Mrs. K (23 years). Right picture: Intraoperatively the correct length is adjusted in a single session. The traction thread is removed before the end of the operation. It helps to adjust the length and is no longer needed after the operation.

Example IV:

Patient N (29 years old): The big toe is very long, somewhat twisted and appears somewhat clumsy in relation to to toes 2 and 3, which are very short.
The picture on the right was taken 3 weeks after the operation: We shortened the big toe, derotated it and straightened it. The 2nd and 3rd toe was lengthened in the same session. The result is cosmetically and functionally very satisfactory.

Example V:

Patient X (18 years) Before and 3 months after extension of the 4th toe.

Example VI:

This patient had a hallux valgus combined with a very short 3rd toe. We lengthened the toe and the metatarsal about 7 mm, which is nearly the maximum at one stage surgery. If a longer distance is necessary, two or more surgeries or an external distractor are used, otherwise nerves and vessels can be damaged.

Left: Before and after the surgery.

Right: Please note the nice toe alignement and the narrow foot. This picture was taken 6 weeks after surgery, there is almost no swelling, the patient is fully mobile and wearing normal shoes. The big toe is straight and does not push the 2nd toe anymore.

X-rays before and after surgery. All implants belong to the V-tek system, developed by Michael Vitek.

Example VII:

Situation after 6 operations, and each time shortening of the toes

This patient had to undergo 6 operations in different hospitals, where her toes were repeatedly shortened, because hammertoes kept forming. Suddenly, the toes were too short (amazing, right?) and stood in all directions. The big toe and the IV toe were grotesquely long in comparison. This caused not only cosmetic concerns, but also problems in shoes and during walking, due to the lost function of the toes.

We shortened the IV toe on both sides and extended the II and III toe on both feet by a bone transplant and also straightened the toes. Both the cosmetic, and particularly the functional result is impressive.

After a surgical "correction" of the forefoot

This patient had also the hallux and the hammertoe II operated on in another hospital. Obviously, the patient was not satisfied with the results.

We performed a permanent straightening of the big toe and brought the II toe by means of tendon transfer to the ground, thus extending the II toe.

Address

Michael Vitek Dr. Prof inv. UAG
Meidlinger Hauptstraße 26
(1st floor without elevator)

Vienna,  1120

Private Practice

Hauptstraße 62 Top 12,
2344 Maria Enzersdorf

Opening hours

Monday 12:00 - 16:00

Tuesday 12:00 - 16:00

Thursday 12:00 - 16:00

Private and insured patients

Phone reservation required!

 insured patients: +43 1 815 52 75

 private: +43 664 849 81 00

Information about Cookies and Data Protection:

This website uses cookies. Cookies are small pieces of text, a web browser stores on the user’s device. They cause no harm.

Cookies that are required for the functionality of the website are set in accordance with Art 6 para. 1 lit b) GDPR (legal basis). All other cookies are only stored providing that you give consent according to Art 6 para. 1 lit a) GDPR (legal basis).


You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. The withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. You are not obliged to give your consent in order to use the website. You can use the website irrespectively of your given, refused or withdrawn consent. However, the functionality of the website may be limited, when you refuse or withdraw your consent.


The offered information on this website is not addressed to children and persons below the age of 16.


To withdraw your consent or to restrict cookies, you have particularly the following possibilities:

Necessary Cookies:

This website could use the following cookies that are essential for operating the website:


Optional cookies for marketing and analysis purposes:


Cookies that are set for marketing and analysis purposes usually are stored longer than for the particular session; the precise storage time can be learned from the guidelines of the respective providers.

Additional information about the utilization of personal data in connection with the usage of this website can be found in our Data Protection Guidelines in accordance with Art 13 GDPR.