Clubfoot surgery is a procedure used to correct the abnormal positioning of the feet in babies with clubfoot. Clubfoot is a condition in which the feet point inward and can be associated with other musculoskeletal deformities. The goal of clubfoot surgery is to straighten the feet, improve the range of motion, and allow the patient to walk in a normal manner.
Clubfoot surgery is typically performed when the baby is between the ages of six and 12 months. Depending on the severity of the condition, there are several surgical techniques that may be used. These include soft-tissue release, tendon lengthening, and osteotomies. During the procedure, the doctor will make incisions in the skin to access the tendons, muscles, and bones in the foot. The tendons and muscles are then released to allow the foot to be repositioned. Osteotomies may also be performed to reposition the bones in the foot.
The majority of clubfeet can be corrected in infancy in about six to eight weeks with proper gentle manipulations and a series of plaster casts. The treatment is based on a sound understanding of the functional anatomy of the foot and the biological response of muscles, ligaments and bones to corrective position changes gradually obtained by manipulation and casting.
Less than 5% of infants born with clubfeet have very severely affected, short, plump feet with stiff ligaments that are unyielding to stretching. They also have a deep transverse skin fold across the sole of the foot and another crease above the heel. These babies require special treatment and may need surgical correction. The results are better, however, if bone and joint surgery can be avoided altogether. Surgery in the clubfoot is invariably followed by scarring, stiffness and muscle weakness that becomes more severe and disabling after adolescence.
