Assessment of the talar deformity and alignment in congenital clubfoot using three-dimensional MRI after Ponseti method

Ponseti method have been widely accepted as the initial treatment of congenital idiopathic clubfoot because its excellent primary result. On the other hand, relapses after Ponseti method are not uncommon and the cause of relapses have not been fully elucidated. We investigated detailed morphology and alignment of tarsal bones in clubfoot after Ponseti method using three-dimensional MRI analysis.

We performed MRI with 10 patients of unilateral clubfoot at three months after Achilles tenotomy. Based on the MRI volume data, we reconstructed three-dimensional bone surface model using the marching cubes method. We evaluated the volume of the talus and navicular bone, medial and planter deviation of the talar head and neck, medial deviation of the navicular bone, and internal rotation angle of the distal tibiofibular joint.

In clubfoot, the volume of talus and navicular bone were significantly smaller compared with the contralateral side. Deviation of the talar head and neck varied from medially to almost the same as that on the contralateral side. The degree of deformity of the talus and alignment of the navicular bone and distal tibiofibular joint showed correlations.

Patients with the medial deviated talar neck might have the alignment change of navicular bone and distal tibiofibular joint. Deformity of talar neck might to be compensated by talonavicular joint and distal tibiofibular joint through the manipulation of Ponseti method.