The Ilizarov Fixator: A Treatment for Relapsed Clubfoot, an Observational Study

Purpose: The Clubfoot, or the Congenital Talipes Equinovarus, is the most common congenital orthopedic disease, with 1 or 2 cases reported per 1000 live births. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of the treatment of the complex equinovarus deformity of the feet, using the Ilizarov technique. Materials and Methods: In a prospective case series study from January 2012 to April 2016, 32 patients (35 feet) with rigid and complicated club feet have been included. The Ilizarov technique was applied in order to treat the mentioned deformity. These patients had no other congenital anomalies or systemic diseases. Outcomes were evaluated using the International Clubfoot Study Group (ICFSG) scoring system. Results: All of the patients were between 8 and 14 years of age, with the mean age of 10.9 years old. The mean of preoperative ICFSG score, morphological score, functional score, and radiologic score were 21.25 +/- 7, 6.2 +/- 2.4, 13.6 +/- 3.2, and 6.8 +/- 3.6, respectively. The postoperative mentioned scores were 11.88 +/- 6.18, 3.4 +/- 1.8, 4.7 +/- 2.1, and 3.8 +/- 1.9, respectively. The difference in the ICFSG scores before and after treatment was statistically significant (P = 0.001). Conclusion: The Ilizarov technique can be considered as an efficient and successful treatment for recurrent or neglected clubfoot deformities, since it has provided satisfactory results.