Aims: Congenital clubfoot is a deformity of the lower extremity manifested by foot adduction/inversion, cavus and plantar flexion. Its incidence varies within 0.5–7 per 1000 live births worldwide. Genetic predisposition, environmental factors and combination of them are assumed to have etiological factor. A number of trials have been made to cure clubfoot long years ago. But none of them was as effective as the Ponseti method which is better for success rate and the outcome is affected by many factors. Early diagnosis and treatment should be the main paradigms to decrease the risk of physical disability due to clubfoot. The study was aimed at assessing the practice of management and its outcome.
Methods: Facility based retrospective medical record assessment was carried out. The retrieved and qualified data was entered into statistical package for the social sciences for analysis and then output is described and discussed.
Results: The basic Ponseti principles and guidelines were practiced in Mekelle hospital considering some limitations. Physiotherapists were the health professionals who make all the clinical decision makings in the setup. The incidence of case relapse was 14.7%, and the rate of tenotomy was 70.6%. However, the facility scored overall success rate of 77.9%.
Conclusion: In Mekelle hospital, basic principles and guidelines of Ponseti method were practiced with some deviations. The rate of relapse and failure is also slightly higher. Deep social awareness about clubfoot management, grading the rate of tenotomy and reducing the treatment side effect is mandatory to achieve good outcome.