Well though-out introduction of percutaneous Achilles tenotomy during functional treatment of congenital talipes equinovarus: Which indications produce the best results?

Introduction: Percutaneous Achilles tenotomy (PAT) was recently added to functional treatment of congenital talipes equinovarus (aka clubfoot). The aim of this study was to determine the relevance of a carefully chosen radiological criterion for the PAT indication and to evaluate its results.

Hypothesis: When the tibiocalcaneal angle (aTiCa) is larger than 75° at 4 months, doing PAT will improve the results of the functional method in the medium term and will reduce the surgery rate.

Long term results of the revisited Meary closing wedge tarsectomy for the treatment of the fixed cavo-varus foot in adolescent with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Background: Various techniques have been proposed for the treatment of cavovarus feet (CVF). The aim of this study was to report outcomes of the revisited Meary's dorsal closing wedge tarsectomy for fixed CVF secondary to Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease.

Methods: All CVF operated on between 1977 and 2011 were included.

Long-term results of treatment of congenital idiopathic clubfoot in 187 feet: outcome of the functional "French" method, if necessary completed by soft-tissue release.

Background: Two main options for treatment of congenital idiopathic clubfoot are the "French" functional method and the Ponseti method. The goal of this article was to evaluate the results of the functional treatment method, which, if necessary, is completed by a surgical release.

Patients And Methods: A series of 187 feet (129 patients) underwent functional conservative treatment.

Study of femoral torsion during prenatal growth: interpretations associated with the effects of intrauterine pressure.

The developing fetus is protected from external environmental influences by maternal tissues. However, these structures have a limited elasticity, such that the fetus must grow in a confined space, constraining its size at the end of pregnancy. Can these constraints modify the morphology of the fetal skeleton? The intensity of these constraints increases between 5 months and birth, making it the most appropriate period to address this question.

Comparative study: Ponseti method versus French physiotherapy for initial treatment of idiopathic clubfoot deformity.

Background: Nonoperative treatment avoids the complications after extensive surgery for idiopathic clubfeet. The purpose of this study was to compare retrospectively French physiotherapy and Ponseti method used to treat idiopathic clubfoot in 2 institutions.

Methods: Two hundred nineteen idiopathic clubfeet (146 patients) managed during a 3-year period (2000 to 2003) were included in this study: 116 clubfeet in group FM were treated according to modified French physiotherapy (with percutaneous heel-cord tenotomy in 17%) and 103 clubfeet in group PM were treated according to the Ponseti method.

Resection arthrodesis of the ankle for aggressive tumors of the distal tibia in children.

Background: There is no consensus on the ideal treatment for malignant tumors of the distal tibia. Many favor amputation.

Methods: Thirteen children, at an average age of 12 years (8 to 16 y) sustained conservative surgical treatment for a tumor of the distal tibia.

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. Long-term follow-up from birth until skeletal maturity.

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective long-term study was to review and present the effects of treatment for 11 children with arthrogryposis multiplex congenital, or amyoplasia, followed from birth until skeletal maturity.

Methods: We evaluated walking ability, age of beginning to walk, required ambulatory devices, age of independent walking and muscle strength.

Results: Our series showed babies with severe limb involvements without spine abnormalities.

Plantar opening-wedge osteotomy of cuneiform bones combined with selective plantar release and dwyer osteotomy for pes cavovarus in children.

Neurological pes cavovarus is a challenging deformity to treat during childhood. Based on physiopathology, we propose the following original surgical procedure. Plantar-opening wedge osteotomy of the three cuneiform bones, preceded by selective plantar release, corrects forefoot pronation which is the primum movens of the deformity, and corrects the cavus at its apex.

Natural history of hips with borderline acetabular index and acetabular dysplasia in infants.

Management of clinically stable hips with an increased age-related acetabular index (AI) remains controversial. The authors' purpose was to document the natural history of such hips. Sixty-eight clinically stable hips with an increased age-related AI were followed up for a mean of 9.

Clubfoot posteromedial release: advantages of tibialis anterior tendon lengthening.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the eventual advantages of tibialis anterior (TA) tendon lengthening during clubfoot posteromedial release. A continuous series of 60 idiopathic clubfeet has been retrospectively studied. Tibialis anterior lengthening (TAL) began to be performed in 1984.

Retroversion of the acetabular dome after Salter and triple pelvic osteotomy for congenital dislocation of the hip.

Retroversion of the acetabular dome has been associated with hip pain and osteoarthritis in several studies. Nevertheless, this acetabular alignment received little attention when studying the radiological outcome of pelvic osteotomies in childhood. We therefore reviewed the charts and X-rays of 73 patients with congenital dislocations, who underwent 97 pelvic osteotomies in childhood.