title: Extramembranous transfer of the tibialis posterior tendon for the treatment of drop foot deformity in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To study the efficacy of extramembranous transfer of the tibialis posterior (posterior tibial) tendon for the treatment of drop foot deformity in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 24 patients (11 girls and 13 boys) with drop foot deformity, who underwent tibialis posterior tendon transfer. The mean age was 12.33 years (range: seven to18 years), and the mean follow-up period was 32.54 months (range: 24 - 55 months). Drop foot developed due to different levels of nerve injury associated with trauma or surgical operation in 18 (75 %) patients, and due to meningomyelocele in six (25 %) patients. Tibialis posterior tendon was flipped from the anteromedial aspect of the tibia and transferred to the lateral cuneiform bone. The patients were evaluated via the Stanmore system questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evaluating the outcomes by the Stanmore system, poor results in two feet (8.3 %), fair in two feet (8.3 %), good in eight feet (33.3 %), and excellent in 12 (50 %) feet were obtained. All patients were satisfied with the postoperative outcomes. The mean active ankle dorsiflexion was 8.96 degrees (range: zero to 20 degrees).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Extramembranous transfer of the tibialis posterior tendon is a quite successful method in retrieving active dorsiflexion of the foot in patients with drop foot deformity. It is a method which eliminates the need for orthosis and enhances the quality of life of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medical School Hospital, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey. dr.aliaydin@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aydin
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Topal
authors.forename: Kutsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tuncer
authors.forename: Umut
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Canbek
authors.forename: Vahit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000150:complications; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*; D053656:Tenodesis