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A patient came in today seeking advice in regards to her bunion.

From my understanding....She recently had part of her large intestine removed and a 'pacemaker' inserted (in the abdomen) to stimulate the sacral nerve. This was to assist in digestion and bowel movements.

The nurses said a side effect to stimulating the sacral nerve is that a bunion can develop, and many of there patients have complained of this. At night time my patient can feel the hallux being 'stimulated' and is uncomfortable.

I provided her an otoform toe separator and discussed other splints available.

Has any one ever heard of this?

 

I doubt its possible. HAV/bunions are an osseous deformity. Imagine the magnitude of forces needed to cause osseous adaptation. No amount of "muscle twitching" from a sacral stimulator is going to come close to generate the kinds of forces needed to cause osseous changes.