Influence of Beginning Time of Casting for Clubfoot Treatment by Ponseti Method in Different Age Group Infants: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: The clubfoot is one of the commonly found congenital deformities in newborn. The Ponseti method is the most effective nonoperative clubfoot management method. It is based on understanding of pathoanatomy of clubfoot. For classifying severity of clubfoot, Pirani score is used. The number of cast required for clubfoot correction is dependent on its initial Pirani score. This study aimed on how the number of cast for correction of clubfoot deformity depends on starting time of casting and pretreatment Pirani score.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study comprises of 200 patients with 297 affected foot nonoperatively managed with Ponseti technique of casting. We measured initial and final Pirani scores of patients with different age groups.
RESULTS: We found that initial severity was less in 0-1 month age group children but mean casting number was more while initial severity was more in 1-2 month age group, the mean number of casting was less. Tenotomy requirement was also less in 1-2 month age group.
CONCLUSION: We concluded that casting according to the Ponseti method should be started in 1-2 months age group which shows better results than the other age groups in clubfoot. © Indian Orthopaedics Association 2020.