Abstract: A system and method for the surgical correction of a bunion deformity allows for correction of a bunion deformity. The method includes: drilling a hole across a first metatarsal and through a second metatarsal; placing a tube from outside the first metatarsal through the hole across the first and second metatarsals; pushing a first button through the tube until the first button exits the tube through a medial side of the second metatarsal; flipping the first button to engage the first button against the second metatarsal and applying a lateral tension on the suture strand; manually pushing the first metatarsal and the second metatarsal together to correct intermetatarsal angular deformity; pulling free ends of the suture strand of the suture-button construct to advance a second button of the suture-button construct and to engage the second button against the first metatarsal; and securing the second button against the first metatarsal.

Abstract: A process for the production of sodium carbonate wherein sodium bicarbonate is recovered from a brine containing sodium carbonate by carbonation of the brine under controlled conditions. The sodium bicarbonate is crystallized from the carbonated brine in a multi-stage carbonating, cooling and crystallization process after which it is filtered to produce wet cake. The wet cake is subjected to predrying to provide a predried wet cake of a specified free moisture content and mixed with recycle light ash to provide a dryer feed of specified moisture content to alleviate problems of product fouling or plugging of the dryer. The light ash from the dryer then is bleached and subjected to recrystallization, screening, centrifuging and drying to provide a dried sodium carbonate possessing, after evaporation of the water of hydration and free moisture, less than 0.10 percent moisture and chemical and physical properties meeting commercial dense ash specifications.