Laparoscopic Left Biopsy

The case

A toe amputation removes part or all of a toe. The surgeon either goes through one of the toe's joints or cuts across one of its small bones, and then closes the skin over the end. It is the most common amputation of the foot.

Most toe amputations are done for people with diabetes or poor circulation, when a sore on the toe will not heal, the toe turns black (gangrene) or infection has reached the bone (osteomyelitis). Others are done after a crushing injury, for a tumor, or for a small toe that overlaps its neighbor so badly that removing it is the simplest fix. The surgeon keeps as much as can safely heal. Losing one of the smaller toes changes walking very little. The big toe helps push off, so the surgeon tries to keep its base, and removing the second toe can let the big toe drift sideways over time.

The operation is short and is often done with the foot numbed by an injection (a toe or ankle block), sometimes with sedation, and many patients go home the same day. If the toe was badly infected, the wound may be left open at first and closed or allowed to heal later. The stitches usually stay in for two to three weeks, and the foot is protected in a special shoe with weight kept off the front of the foot until the wound has healed. Good blood flow, good nutrition and blood sugar control make healing much more likely.