Factors Predictive of Tenotomy After Ponseti Casting for Idiopathic Clubfoot: A Tertiary Care Center Study.

Introduction: Parents of children with clubfoot are likely to inquire about the need for tenotomy and about any factors that may be predictive. The present study was done to identify factors that may help predict the need for tenotomy in children undergoing Ponseti treatment for idiopathic clubfoot.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on patients under 5 years of age with idiopathic clubfoot and no previous treatment history treated at Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children. The relationship between the Pirani score, Dimeglio score, age, and passive ankle dorsiflexion (DF) and the need for heel cord tenotomy was analyzed using appropriate statistical methods.

Results: Of 83 patients (125 feet) with a mean age of 6 months, 93 feet (74.4%) required a percutaneous tenotomy. The mean initial Pirani and Dimeglio score for 125 club feet was 4.5 (SD=1.68) and 13.5 (SD=6.1), respectively. The mean initial passive ankle DF was -40.4 (SD=22.31). The Dimeglio ( P =0.000), Pirani scores ( P =0 .000), and passive ankle DF ( P =0.000) showed significant association with the need for tenotomy.

Conclusions: This study shows a strong association between initial Pirani and Demiglio scores and initial passive ankle DF as predictive of a heel cord tenotomy. However, age, sex, and laterality were not associated with the need for tenotomy.