A new dynamic foot abduction orthosis for clubfoot treatment

Recurrent clubfoot deformity after successful initial correction with the use of the Ponseti method continues to be a common problem and is often caused by noncompliance with wear of the traditional foot abduction brace. The purpose of this study was to assess the results of a newly designed dynamic foot abduction orthosis in terms of (1) parental compliance and (2) effectiveness in preventing recurrent clubfoot deformities. Twenty-eight patients (49 clubfeet) who were treated with a dynamic foot abduction orthosis in accordance with the Ponseti method were included in this study. Of the 28 patients, 18 had idiopathic clubfeet (31 clubfeet), 2 had complex idiopathic clubfeet (4 clubfeet), 5 had myelodysplasia (8 clubfeet), and 3 were syndromic (6 clubfeet). The mean duration of follow-up was 29 months (range, 24-36 months). Noncompliance was reported in only 2 (7.1%) of the 28 patients in the new orthosis compared with the authors' previously reported 41% (21/51) noncompliance rate in patients treated with the use of the traditional foot abduction brace. The two patients in this study, in which parents were noncompliant with orthosis wear, developed recurrent deformities. There were 2 patients (7%) who experienced skin blistering in the new orthosis compared with 12 (23.5%) of 51 patients who experienced blistering with the use of traditional abduction brace in the authors' previously reported study. Logistic regression modeling compliance and recurrence revealed that noncompliance with the foot abduction orthosis was most predictive of recurrence of deformity (odds ratio, 27; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-326; P = 0.01). The articulating foot abduction orthosis is well tolerated by patients and parents and results in a higher compliance rate and a lower complication rate than what were observed with the traditional foot abduction orthosis.