title: Calcaneo-stop procedure in the treatment of the juvenile symptomatic flatfoot.
abstract: Flexible flatfoot is the most prevalent condition seen in pediatric orthopedic clinics. It is characterized by an absence of the medial arch and a valgus position of the calcaneus. The purpose of the present study was to report on the results obtained in children treated using the calcaneo-stop procedure. A total of 410 flatfeet in 242 consecutive patients were treated using the calcaneo-stop procedure from January 1999 to March 2010 (10 years, 3 months) and were followed up to February 2012. The mean age at surgery was 11 (range 7 to 14) years, and the mean follow-up duration was 88 (range 14 to 157) months. A clinical evaluation, podoscopic examination, and radiologic assessment were performed in the participating patients preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively. Of the 242 patients, 168 (69.42%) underwent bilateral foot surgery and 74 (30.58%) unilateral intervention, involving 33 right (44.6%) and 41 left (55.4%) feet. At follow-up, the outcome was satisfactory in 397 feet (96.83%); heel valgus was observed in only 12 feet (2.92%), and the footprint was normalized in 328 feet (80%). The calcaneo-stop procedure is a simple, reliable, and minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of pediatric flexible flatfoot. It allows alignment of the talus and calcaneus, restoring a proper foot arch.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Clinic, University of Catania, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Policlinico Vittorio Emanuele, Catania, Italy. vitopavone@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Costarella
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Testa
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riccioli
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sessa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001174:Arthrodesis / Q000379:methods*; D001863:Bone Screws; D002111:Calcaneus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005413:Flatfoot / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013628:Talus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D013709:Tendon Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome