Implant arthroplasty in big toe

My Mum had it done, & although it's supposed to have worked, she has always had problems in that leg since. Numbness that spread up her calf.
It's supposedly not to do with the implant, but the timing suggests it was & she has had it for 20 years & it led her to give up driving long-distance earlier than she would have because she felt unsafe with a "deadleg".
She has joint fusion in toe on the other leg & no problems.
This may well be coincidental, but she's convinced it's the implant & you did ask...

Foot surgery is complex, painful and recovers slowly. And it has knocked on effects on how you stand and walk which can bring their own problems.

I was offered, and discussed in detail with the surgeon, a repair of my heel bone where an avulsion fracture has left me with a piece of floating bone. Eventually I decided against and have settled for the status quo in spite of its drawbacks.

It may be that your proposed I retention does not carry so many negatives, but there is something to be said for settling for just a small amount of pain.

Feet are complex structures and fundamental to so.much.

Intervention .... not I retention!