[Analysis of intraoperative complications during surgery for clubfoot]

The paper presents an analysis of the complications accompanying surgical treatment of congenital club feet. In the year 1966-1993 178 feet in 149 patients aged ranging from 5 to 140 months (mean age 17.5 months. In 57 cases a posterior capsulotomy with lengthening of the Achilles tendon was performed, in 121 cases a total sub-talar release was performed. Complications wee classified as intra-operative and early and late post-operative. A total of 85 complications in 44 patients were observed, which amount to 44.7% of the cases. In 16 cases intra-operative complications were a result of technical mistakes during the procedure (severing of a tendon, blood vessel or joint). Post-op complications were due to wound healing disturbances in 28 cases and necrotic changes in 12 cases. Sub-talar release gives a larger number of complications (55.4%) compared to posterior capsulotomy with Achilles tendon lengthening (31.6%).