Results of Clubfoot Treatment with Kite Method

Abstract

AIM: The goal of this study is to evaluate the success of clubfoot treatment by Kite method regarding the relaps rate and need for open surgical correction.Methods: We have studied clinical charts of 2008-2010 from statistic department of Service of Orthopaedic and Traumatology “ Prof Dr. Panajot Boga”. The statistical method used is the Fisher-Student test. Accepted error is less than 5% (p <0:05). Kite Method consists in conservative treatment with cast by gradual gentle manipulation. Intervention performed every 7-14 days. Treatment duration is approximately 6 months and at the end of the first 3 months of treatment, Achilles  tenotomy was performed. Then we applied for 3 more months in plaster cast by changing it every 2-3 weeks.When treatment ends, family members were taught about exercises for foot and keeping Denis Brown shoes. In our country the ratio male: female was 1.7:1.Results: This study included 107 patients, of whom 68 were males and 39 females. Seventy four per cent of patients did not need surgery and others had need for surgical intervention. The success of the method used in our service proved to be 74%. Fourteen per cent of patients started treatment within 7 days of life and success has been 95%, 30% started treatment within 15 to 30 days, 14.9% have started treatment within the first 2-3 months after birth. While the rest of the treatment started 8-14 and 1-2 months after birth. Conclusion: Kite method had a low success rate in our serie of clubfoot patients, so we do not recommend any more the use of this method for conservative treatment of clubfoot.