Assessing the five-year results of the Ponseti technique for treating clubfoot: A retrospective study

Introduction: Among non-surgical interventions for clubfoot, the Ponseti method is the preferred approach. Objectives: To evaluate the five-year outcomes of the Ponseti technique. Method: A retrospective analysis was done on infants with idiopathic clubfoot from December 2017 to December 2022. The progression was assessed by correlating the mean Pirani scores at registration (P1), the onset of bracing (P2), and the conclusion of treatment (P3), or the latest visit during treatment (P4). Results: Of the 950 infants included in study, 21.1% completed treatment and 78.9% were in the bracing phase. Majority (63.3%) were male and unilateral clubfoot was observed in over 70% of cases; 15.8% had a family history of clubfoot, and 26.4% experienced birth complications. Mean casting score was 6.82±1.04, with 17.7% experiencing casting-related complications; 76.8% infants showed compliance with brace usage and relapse rate was 21.5%. A significant reduction in Pirani scores was observed from P1 to P2, and further to P3/P4 (p <0.05). Conclusions: Effective management of clubfoot necessitates prolonged treatment duration for optimal outcomes. Ponseti technique had a success rate of 78.5%.