Short Term Outcome in One Stage Pantalar Soft Tissue Release with Transifixation of Talonavicular Joint in Resistant Idiopathic congenital ClubFoot.

Abstract

Twenty one patients with 32 idiopathic resistant clubfoot were operated on by the sane surgeon at Mulago and Mengo hospitals. The mean patient age was 20.69 months (range 5.00-43.50 months). A single surgical technique of pantalar soft tissue release was carried out coupled with internal fixation of the talonavicular joint and limb kept in plaster-of-Paris. The patients were all followed up for at least four months.

Short term assessment was done in respect of immediate post operative and radiological assessment on lateral and anteroposterior radiographs included pre operative and immediate, 8weeks and four months post operative measurements of talocalcaneal and talo – 1st metatarsal angles. The talocalcaneal index was calculated by adding the anteroposterior and lateral talocalcaneal angles. Pre-operative and post-operative clinical and radiological assessment showed correction of the deformities. However, the talo-1st metarsal anteroposterior angles were not fully corrected. The assessment according to the goal and objective for the surgery showed excellent and good result in 27 feet (84.4%). There was one patient (bilateral case) that required repeat surgery by the end of the study period. Key words: clubfoot – pantalar soft tissue release.