[Current surgical therapy of congenital clubfoot]

The operative treatment of congenital club foot deformity in childhood consists of a release of soft tissues which are retracted in fibrous "knots" at the hindfoot and midtarsus. This release is more or less extensive, depending on the importance of the contracture and allows reduction of the triple deformity i.e. varus and equinus of the hindfoot and adduction at the midtarsus. Surgery is performed preferably before walking commences in order to take advantage of the functional self-treatment by bearing weight after removal of the cast. During the last several years, the different operative procedures employed for release have gained in precision and efficiency by addressing the deformity at their precise location. The difficult aim of the surgical procedure is to avoid insufficient release causing pseudo-recurrencies or overcorrection.