Hammertoe & Claw Toe Surgery in Vienna
gently straightened – comfortable in your shoe again

A hammertoe is bent downward at the middle joint, so the tip of the toe presses onto the ground. A claw toe is additionally over-extended at the base joint and curls like a claw. Both are caused by an imbalance of the small toe muscles and lead to pressure points, corns and pain in closed shoes. The treatment principle is the same; the surgical technique is chosen to match the exact deformity.

No. As long as the toe is still flexible, insoles, toe splints, roomier shoes and regular foot exercises can relieve the pressure and ease the symptoms. Surgery is worth considering when the toe has become rigid, when recurring corns or pressure ulcers develop, or when the deformity clearly limits your everyday life. Early treatment can prevent secondary damage to the neighbouring toes.

It depends on the stage. A still-flexible hammertoe is corrected by balancing the tendons (lengthening or transferring a tendon) so the toe straightens again. A fixed, rigid hammertoe is corrected at the small toe joint – the joint is either reshaped (resection arthroplasty) or stiffened in a straight position, occasionally secured with a fine wire for a few weeks. The procedure takes about 30–45 minutes and is usually performed on an outpatient basis under regional anaesthesia.

Yes, and very often that is exactly the right approach. A hammertoe on the second toe frequently develops as a consequence of a hallux valgus, because the big toe no longer carries its share of the load. In these cases I correct both in a single operation – that means one anaesthetic, one recovery period and a harmonious overall result for the forefoot.

For a desk job you are usually back after about 1–2 weeks, as long as you can elevate the foot. For work that involves standing or walking a lot, expect around 3–5 weeks. You wear a flat surgical shoe for the first weeks and can bear weight on the heel immediately – no cast and no crutches are needed. If the hammertoe is corrected together with a hallux valgus, the recovery follows the hallux timeline and takes a little longer.

With supplementary (Sonderklasse) insurance the operation and hospital stay are generally covered in full and billed directly with your insurer. Without supplementary insurance the procedure is possible as a self-payer at any time – you receive a transparent cost estimate in advance, with no hidden extras. The exact amount depends on the technique and whether other toes are corrected at the same time, which is why I put it in writing before anything is decided. For practice visits, statutory insurers reimburse roughly 80% of their tariff afterwards.

A hammertoe belongs in the hands of an orthopaedic foot specialist. Dr. Philippe Ghobrial performs hammertoe and claw toe corrections himself and assembles the team that looks after you before, during and after the operation. He works exclusively as a private physician (Wahlarzt) but treats all patients – privately insured, Sonderklasse-insured and self-payers. As a Wahlarzt patient you can have part of the practice costs reimbursed by your statutory insurer afterwards.