title: Use of a soft tissue expander before surgical treatment of clubfoot in children and adolescents.
abstract: Primary closure of the skin after surgical correction of severe clubfoot is difficult, sometimes impossible. The authors describe a surgical technique with the use of a soft tissue expander prior to surgical treatment on clubfoot in children and adolescents. They operated on 13 feet (10 patients) with rigid clubfoot, with ages ranging from 3 to 16 years (average 10 years). Satisfactory skin healing with primary closure of the skin was obtained in 10 feet; the remaining 3 had complications such as infection, skin necrosis, and premature exposure of the expander. The authors conclude that soft tissue expansion before surgical correction of clubfoot in selected cases is a good alternative for the management of skin closure. Special attention should be given to surgical technique.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ortopedia Infantil Roosevelt, Bogota, Colombia. rossellipablo@cable.net.co
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosselli
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: Luis-Jose
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Céspedes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003025:Clubfoot / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D015626:Tissue Expansion / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*