[Role of Cahuzac's operation in clubfoot varus equina revision surgery]

Abstract

Purpose of the study: The authors report 24 cases of revision in recurrent club foot deformity. They assessed Cahuzac's procedure for treatment of the residual forefoot adduction. This procedure (opening of the first cuneo-metatarsal joint and proximal abduction osteotomy of the second, third, and fourth metatarsals) was generally associated with postero-medial, plantar release, and split tibialis anterior tendon transfer.

Material: Twenty four procedures for 20 children at mean age of five years have been performed. The revision chart comprised 12 clinical and radiological items as proposed by Seringe.

Results: Seven feet were considered as excellent, 14 as good, 2 as fair, and 1 as poor. The mean follow-up was four years.

Discussion: Treatment of the adduction component with Cahuzac procedure is focused on the fore part of the foot, and on the calcaneo-pedal block by postero medial release, but never on the midfoot, as no Evans or Lichtblau's procedure has been performed. This series was compared to others procedures, and morphological results were equivalent. Cahuzac's operation is riskless for foot growth, and needs two approaches which can be useful for simultaneous procedures as split lateral transfer of tibialis anterior tendon.

Conclusion: Metatarsal osteotomies (Cahuzac's procedure), associated with soft tissues release and split anterior tibial transfer, seems to be effective in surgical treatment of relapsed clubfeet, but the debate concerning the location of the adduction component of the deformity remains still open.