A 2003 narrative review comparing three nonsurgical approaches to idiopathic clubfoot — the Kite, Ponseti, and French methods — covering their pathoanatomic rationale, step-by-step technique, published outcomes, and indications for adjunct surgery. The paper addresses when and why nonsurgical management can replace or reduce the scope of extensive posteromedial-lateral release.
When you encounter a newborn with idiopathic clubfoot, the Ponseti method — sequential manipulation and long-leg casting in CAVE order, tenotomy in ~75%, followed by years of abduction orthosis wear — is the default first-line treatment; the key clinical lesson is that non-compliance with the Denis Browne bar is the primary driver of recurrence, so family counseling at every visit is as important as the casting technique itself.
A 2003 narrative review comparing three nonsurgical approaches to idiopathic clubfoot — the Kite, Ponseti, and French methods — covering their pathoanatomic rationale, step-by-step technique, published outcomes, and indications for adjunct surgery. The paper addresses when and why nonsurgical management can replace or reduce the scope of extensive posteromedial-lateral release.
When you encounter a newborn with idiopathic clubfoot, the Ponseti method — sequential manipulation and long-leg casting in CAVE order, tenotomy in ~75%, followed by years of abduction orthosis wear — is the default first-line treatment; the key clinical lesson is that non-compliance with the Denis Browne bar is the primary driver of recurrence, so family counseling at every visit is as important as the casting technique itself.