[Results of surgical treatment of congenital clubfeet with the Sotirow method].

Clinical and radiological results of surgical treatment of congenital clubfeet by an antero-lateral approach first introduced by Sotirow in 1976 are presented. The aim of this paper was to assess long-term results of this procedure on children (aged 5-18 months at the time of surgery). A series of 65 feet in 42 cases diagnosed with congenital talipes equinovarus was evaluated. Forty-two cases were treated conservatively with casts--changed on a weekly basis for 2-3 months and then every 2 weeks. Magone's score criteria were used to assess the method. Average follow-up was 7 years. Clinically 72% of the results were rated as excellent or good. We found the biggest problem during the Sotirow procedure was placing the trochlea of the talus bone into his anatomical into its' anatomical position in the talo-crural joint. The method introduced by Sotirow seems to be highly effective and worth applying. It enables a real elimination of soft-tissue contractures, which retains the deformity of the foot through an antero-lateral approach.