What a paediatrician should know about congenital clubfoot

Abstract

Clubfoot is the most frequent congenital malformation of the foot, affecting more than 1-2 subjects per 1.000 newborns. Without appropriate treatment, a child with congenital clubfoot will never be able to walk physiologically with a dramatic impact on the quality of life. In the last decades, different corrective solutions have been proposed, and there is rising scientific evidence that the Ponseti non-invasive method is safe and effective in the treatment of the clubfoot. So, what should a general paediatrician know about this condition and what should he concretely do in the suspect of a congenital clubfoot?

Keywords: Clubfoot; Equinovarus; Management; Pediatric; Talipes.

Fig. 1

Frontal and posterior view of congenital idiopathic clubfoot

Fig. 2

Severe clubfoot. legend: severe clubfoot (Pirani 6, Manes-Costa 3)

Fig. 3

Pirani clubfoot- score. legend: this is a 6-item scale, in which every point has a 0 to 1 score (0 if normal, 0.5 if moderate-mild deformity is present, 1 with a severe malformation); the higher the score is, the worst is the deformity

Fig. 4

Percutaneous tenotomy of the Achille’s tendon