Correction of clubfoot deformity associated with Weber type I tibial hemimelia using the Ponseti method.

The clubfoot deformity associated with Weber type I tibial hemimelia, a rare congenital disorder, is rigid and difficult to correct. Surgeons have utilized a variety of treatment methods. Since the 1960s, some adopted the Syme amputation to produce a weightbearing lower limb. Others began to explore alternatives such as the Ilizarov technique, ankle reconstruction, and casting, which salvage the foot but have produced mixed results. The current investigators suggest that the Ponseti method, a minimally invasive technique, can produce a functional weightbearing foot. Two cases were treated with the Ponseti method, including a percutaneous Achilles tenotomy and post-cast bracing. After a minimum of 2-years follow-up, both are ambulatory.