Preoperative equinus angle and prognosis in congenital talipes equinovarus: a preliminary report

This study examines the hypothesis that the preoperative, clinically determined, equinus angle of congenital talipes equinovarus correlates with the surgical outcome. Data were obtained on 30 feet from 20 patients. All the patients had failed to respond to conservative measures of serial strapping and/or casting, and underwent radical primary subtalar release. Postoperatively, the Magone, Turco and McKay score systems were used for evaluation with 2 years minimum follow-up (range, 24-60 months; average, 42 months). There was a negative mathematical correlation between the equinus angle and the three system scores (Magone, Turco and McKay). In the three systems, the Pearson correlation with the equinus angle was negative and statistically highly significant: Magone, r = -0.629, P < 0.001; Turco, r = -0.651, P < 0.001; McKay, r = -0.717, P < 0.001. The correlation coefficients between the scoring systems were highly significant demonstrating a very close relationship between the systems. Excellent category outcomes were associated with smaller equinus angles.