[Components of the joint-sparing, combined bony and soft tissue correction of the cavovarus foot].

OBJECTIVE: Combined bony and soft tissue correction of a mild foot and flexible rearfoot deformity in cavovarus foot.

INDICATIONS: Drop foot during swing phase and muscular imbalance in the stance phase in cavovarus foot, flexible cavovarus foot, accompanying symptoms such as recurrent calluses and ulcerations, compliance.

CONTRAINDICATIONS: Pes cavovarus of spastic genesis, mild deformities, fixed bony deformity, lack of compliance, florid inflammation in the foot area, severe peripheral artery disease (PAD), diabetes mellitus.

SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Description of the gradual escalation of joint-sparing bony and soft tissue procedures.

POSTOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT: Postoperative lower leg cast. In cases of combined bony and soft tissue correction, first 6 weeks of nonweight-bearing with lower leg cast, then 6 weeks of lower leg walking cast. With adequate bony consolidation, cast removal after a total of 12 weeks. In cases of pure soft-tissue foot correction, 6 weeks of lowerleg walking cast.

RESULTS: It was shown that only 22.5% of the affected feet (40 preoperative patients with cavovarus foot deformity) had a severe hindfoot equinus due to shortened calf muscles. In a study with 14 patients, it was shown that the tibialis posterior tendon transfer corrects the drop foot component and the excessive medial arch of the feet is significantly reduced by combined soft tissue and bony procedures.