Pitfalls in Conservative Congenital Clubfoot Treatment

The contemporary trends in treatment of congenital clubfoot tend to prefer conservative approach due to the presence of the so called embryonal myosin that is proven to be very sensitive to surgical activities and very reliable to manual and plaster correction for either longer or shorter period of time. Thus the conservative methods became preferable, avoiding hyperfibrosis, that occur after limited or large surgical corrections. There are two methods that are generally accepted as proved to be effective in conservative clubfoot treatment. Dr. Kite (193) first introduced his method in correction of the clubfoot by using a series of plaster casts. Two decades later his follower Ignasio Ponseti (1968) modified the method, developed and completed it. Regardless of literature evidence of the effectiveness of conservative treatment there are plenty of mistakes, that causes the surgeon to be disappointed by the results. The aim of the study is to point out many of the possible pitfalls in conservative treatment of ideopatic congenital clubfoot in both methods Kites and Ponsetis Conclusions. Knowledge of both methods and the possible pitfalls, while applying them, create a positive outlook for improvement in the prognosis and treatment outcomes of this disease.