Clubfoot (CTEV) Treatment in Surat
Clubfoot (CTEV) is a foot turned inwards and downwards from birth. Dr. Aman Khanna, M.S. Orthopaedics, treats it at Mahavir Health Campus, Athwa Gate, Surat, with gentle casting that is ideally started in the first weeks of life, followed by a brace.
What clubfoot (CTEV) is
In clubfoot the foot points down and turns in, the heel looks small and the sole faces inwards. The foot is stiff and does not straighten with gentle pressure. The cause is usually not known. Most affected babies are otherwise healthy, but the doctor examines the hips, spine and legs as well, as clubfoot sometimes goes with other conditions.
Who needs treatment
A baby with true clubfoot needs treatment, and the earlier it starts, the easier the foot is to correct. A newborn foot that looks turned but moves into position easily is a positional foot, and examination tells the two apart. Older children whose foot was never treated, or whose foot has come back after earlier treatment, are also assessed.
How clubfoot treatment is done: casting and the Ponseti method
Dr. Khanna treats clubfoot with the Ponseti method, the method used worldwide. The foot is gently manipulated and held in a long plaster cast from the toes to the upper thigh. The cast is changed every week, and each one moves the foot a little closer to the correct position.
Most babies then need a small procedure to release the Achilles tendon, done in the operating theatre under sedation or anaesthesia, followed by a final cast for about three weeks. After that, shoes joined by a bar are worn full time at first and then at night, for several years. This brace is what keeps the correction.
Looking after the cast at home
Keep the cast dry and clean the baby with a sponge rather than a bath. Look at the toes each day for colour, warmth and swelling, and do not remove the cast unless you have been told to. Contact the clinic the same day if the cast slips, the toes turn pale or blue, there is a smell or discharge, or the baby is persistently distressed.
When more than casting is needed
Some feet are resistant, or relapse after the first correction. These may need repeat casting. Dr. Khanna also performs tendon transfer, and bone surgery in older children, for relapse.
Risks in general terms
Casts can cause skin sores or slip. The foot may stay somewhat stiff, and clubfoot can return, particularly when the brace is not worn as advised. Any procedure under anaesthetic carries general anaesthetic risks, which are discussed with the parents.
When to see a doctor
See an orthopaedic surgeon if a newborn foot is turned in and does not straighten when it is gently moved, or if clubfoot was seen on a pregnancy scan. If an antenatal scan shows clubfoot, parents are welcome to meet Dr. Khanna before delivery to understand the plan. For an older child, a foot that is walked on its outer edge is also worth examining. This page covers clubfoot only. For a child's broken bone, see fractures and trauma.
How to book and where to come
Mahavir Hospital — Athwa
Mahavir Health Campus, Ring Rd, Athwa Gate, Surat 395001OPD: Mon–Sat 4:00–6:00 PM · By appointment
To book an appointment for your baby, message on WhatsApp at +91 89808 22922. The foot is examined at the OPD, not over chat. Families also come from Navsari, Valsad, Vapi, Bardoli and Vyara.
Frequently asked questions
What is clubfoot?
Clubfoot, also called congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV), is a foot that is turned inwards and downwards from birth, with the sole facing inwards. It can affect one or both feet, it does not hurt the baby, and it is not caused by anything the parents did.
Can clubfoot be treated without major surgery?
Clubfoot is usually treated first with gentle manipulation and a series of plaster casts and, in many babies, a small procedure to release the Achilles tendon. Larger operations are needed less often, for example when the foot is resistant or comes back.
When should clubfoot treatment start?
Ideally in the first weeks of life, because a newborn foot is easier to correct. Older babies, children who were not treated earlier, and children whose foot has relapsed can also be assessed, although treatment may be different.
How long does clubfoot treatment take?
Casting usually takes a number of weeks, with a new cast each week. The brace that follows is worn for a much longer period, in stages, until about the age of four to five years.
Why does the brace matter so much?
The brace keeps the corrected foot in position while the child grows. A foot that is not kept in the brace as advised is the most common reason for clubfoot to come back, so the brace is as important as the casts.
Can clubfoot be seen before birth?
Sometimes. It can be picked up on an antenatal ultrasound scan, though not always. If it is seen, parents are welcome to meet the orthopaedic surgeon before delivery to understand the plan, and treatment is then started after the baby is born.
What can a child with treated clubfoot do?
Outcomes vary between children. The treated foot is often slightly smaller and the calf slightly thinner than on the other side, and regular follow-up continues through childhood.
Related pages
Foot and ankle care in Surat
The conditions of the foot and ankle that are assessed at the OPD.
Foot and ankle FracturesFractures and trauma care
Bone and joint injuries, including children's fractures, assessed at the OPD.
Fracture care LocationMahavir Hospital, Athwa
Mahavir Health Campus, Ring Rd, Athwa Gate. Mon to Sat 4:00 to 6:00 PM.
Athwa clinic