Posterolateral release for resistant club foot.
We treated 37 infants with 53 idiopathic club feet by posterolateral release alone at a mean age of 2.4 months. They were reviewed after a mean follow-up of 10 years 7 months. Both function and appearance were studied. Seventeen feet had required further surgery, at an average of four years after posterolateral release. In all cases hindfoot equinus had been well corrected; the mean ankle dorsiflexion at review was 15 degrees. Most feet showed subtalar joint movement of between 50% and 75% of normal. Four feet showed poor results: one had a stiff subtalar joint, two feet in one child showed fixed forefoot varus, and one foot had required a Dillwyn-Evans operation at 5.5 years. The overall reoperation rate of 32% at ten years suggests that a radical release operation is not necessary in all patients. Of 59 patients who had only a simple posterolateral release 27 (46%) have satisfactory results.
Hudson
I
I
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore and Charing Cross Hospital, London, England.
Catterall
A
A
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003025:Clubfoot / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012086:Reoperation; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000379:methods; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery