Anytime bone is cut, there is a chance that the bone will not heal properly. With an osteotomy, the likelihood of this happening is about 1 to 6 out of 100 procedures. There are two common types of improper bone healing: malunion and nonunion.

Malunion refers to the healing of the osteotomy in an unacceptable position. This wrong position can make the weight that your foot normally bears shift to other parts of your foot, which causes problems. Treatment options will vary depending on the malunion. Your doctor will discuss these with you if necessary. It is possible that a surgery may be necessary to treat the malunion.

Another possibility is a nonunion. This is when the bone does not heal or knit itself back together. This is more common with an osteotomy that is located more toward the midfoot. For this condition, the treatment will also vary. For example, if there is no pain, no treatment is necessary. At other times, surgery is necessary to repair the nonunion and a bone graft may be needed.