title: Conservative treatment of severe clubfoot using a novel functional dynamic splint.
abstract: Forty-six severe clubfeet in 29 patients were treated by serial castings, followed by a newly developed dynamic splint. The mean period of splint usage was 59.9 months and the mean period of follow-up was 81.5 months. Of the patients, 76.1% were satisfied, 87.0% had no functional deficit, and 84.8% had no pain. Radiographical evaluation showed good correction. The mean dorsiflexion angle was -0.8° at the end of cast treatment and 13.6° at the time of the final follow-up. This study clearly showed the effectiveness of a functional dynamic splint for the correction of equinus in cases of severe clubfoot.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University bFukuhara Orthopaedic Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuhara
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakasa
authors.forename: Hayatoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shibuya
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuhara
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ochi
mesh_terms: D002370:Casts, Surgical; D003025:Clubfoot / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008349:Manipulation, Orthopedic / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013165:Splints