Treatment of Neglected Clubfoot

The Neglected clubfoot deformity is a major disability for children and adults in low income countries. The bones and joints of the foot deform into fixed equines, adducts, cavus, and supination as the patient walk on the side or dorsum of the foot. The Orthopaedic literature on clubfoot deformity focuses on early intervention in a resource-rich environment, with numerous surgical options outlined for both primary treatment and treatment of relapsed clubfoot. (1,2) There is very little literature available on treatment of the neglected clubfoot with major texts providing little more than anecdotal reference to triple Arthrodesis as a salvage procedure. Large numbers of children with neglected clubfoot deformities present to outpatient clinics and deciding how to manage and treat these children becomes a significant challenge. The purpose of this article is to provide an insight of the surgical treatment methods available for neglected clubfoot.