A COMPARATIVE STUDY TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THREE SURGICAL TECHNIQUES USED IN THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE CONGENITAL IDIOPATHIC CLUB FOOT USING THE DIMIGLIO SCORING SYSTEM.

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background: Club foot, or congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), is a congenital deformity with an incidence of 1 in 1000 live births. The deformity is 3-dimensional with 4 components including cavus, forefoot adduction, heel varus and equinus (CAVE). Severity of the CTEV is determined by Dimiglio scoring system. Benign and moderate forms can be treated conservatively but severe and very severe forms require extensive posteromedial soft tissue release for its correction. The posteromedial soft tissue release can be done through medial Turco incision, Cincinnati incision, and Cincinnati incision with medial rotational fasciocutaneous flap. Objective: The Objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of three types of surgical techniques (Medial Turco, Cincinnati and Cincinnati with medial rotational fasciocutaneous flap), used in the posteromedial release of severe CTEV. Methodology: This Interventional Longitudinal study was conducted at Department of Orthopedic Surgery & Traumatology Mayo Hospital Lahore for a period of one year. A total of 45 patients were diagnosed as severe CTEV and 15 cases were randomly divided in three groups each. Patients were operated and followed-up in OPD by Dimiglio scoring and wound healing at 0, 4 th and 18 th week postoperatively to determine the amount of correction. . Data was analyzed using SPSS 16. Results: Patients in Group-A were treated with Cincinnati with medial rotational fasciocutaneous flap, in group B with Cincinnati Technique and in group-C with Medial Turco Technique. In group A, 7 (46.7%) cases had excellent outcome while 8 (53.3%) cases had good outcome. In group B, 2 (13.3%) cases had excellent outcome, 10 (66.7%) cases had good outcome and 3 (20%) cases had fair outcome. In group C, none of the case had excellent outcome while 9 (60%) cases had good outcome and 6 (40%) cases had fair outcome depending upon Dimiglio scoring. There was significant difference among all groups for final outcome of the incision type. Conclusion: This study showed that Cincinnati with medial rotational fasciocutaneous flap and Medial turco incision are better than Cincinnati incision alone and Cincinnati with medial rotational fasciocutaneous flap is better than both other groups. Key words: Congenital talipes equinovarus, Clubfoot, Cincinnati incision, medial rotational fasciocutaneous flap, Medial Turco incision.