The pathoanatomy of congenital clubfoot

Abstract

Patients with resistant clubfeet were reviewed in their second and third decades. For comparison, normal embryological and fetal feet, untreated clubfeet, a recurrent clubfoot, and an amputated foot were dissected. In no child with a resistant clubfoot was the bone architecture normal. In untreated and recurrent clubfeet we found the lateral malleolus to be directed posteriorly, the head of the talus pointed laterally, and the navicular subluxated medially toward the medial malleolus. An operative technique to restore normal alignment of the talus in the ankle mortice, of the navicular and talus, and of the talus and os calcis is described.